Oblivion
by queenbmia
Summary: AU/OOC Characters: Set after 5x22: Unfortunate events ripped them apart from their love ones through no fault of their own. But can love guide them back or will fate stop them in their tracks. (Only time will tell) Bonnie and Damon
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This story is set after 5x22. This is my attempt to write 5x22 Bamon scenes the way I wish they would have gone. I left in the poker thing (even though I hated it immensely). If it had ended the way I wrote it, I would have probably been more okay with that scene. I know a lot of you liked it just the way it was but I felt like Bamon has come way too far for Damon to be pulling pokers on Bonnie. *rolls eyes*

The TV scenes are a bit sketching because I don't like the show and I kind of refuse to watch it, but I did watch some scenes on YT to type the dialogue verbatim in some areas, and then added my own spin on things so it wouldn't be so fan servicing to dullena which is what JP and co did. Well, enough of me explaining.

Anyway, I hope with all my heart that you all like the first chapter enough to stick with the story…LOL!

Enjoy!

**Oblivion Chapter 1: Implode**

Bonnie had to make a quick stop by her dorm room. She stopped and listened at her door when she heard a loud ruckus coming from inside. She opened the door slowly to see Damon demolishing her things.

"Damon, stop." She demanded.

"You said you had a plan, Bonnie." Damon pointed the poker at her.

"I did. I had a traveler that knew the right spell."

"…and you lost her." He spat.

"I didn't lose her. She was sucked into oblivion like everyone else on the Other Side." Bonnie argued.

"Then find another one."

"It's more than just knowing the spell. Markos was able to come back because dozens of Travelers were willing to sacrifice themselves in order to overwhelm me. I doubt that they'll be willing to do that for a bunch of supernatural strangers." She shot back equally as heated.

"You know who needs motivation. You need motivation. Because if the Other Side goes away, then everyone, including you, will go away with it." His angry visage was immediately replaced with the realization that he could lose Stefan and Bonnie forever.

"I know that. Do you think I want to die?" Bonnie stated painfully.

"My brother is over there." Damon announced gravely.

"I know that."

Damon looked at her, wounded, and began to lower the poker before slinging it across the room.

"Alaric is over there. Your grams is over there." The graveness of the situation sunk deeper into his awareness with every word spoken, and it hurt him. It crushed him. It was real, and sadly, it took his brother dying for him to see how tangible it all was.

"I know that, Damon." Bonnie stated, close to tears.

They stared at each other, Damon searching Bonnie's face fitfully. He had never been vulnerable with her, yet here he was. They continued watching each other, their chests rising and falling, nearly in sync.

Damon was the one to break the trance first. He walked over to the bed and plopped down onto it. He looked blankly down at the wooden floor.

"Look, Damon, I'm sorry about Stefan, but I promise you that we'll find a way to bring him back. I just can't have you taking your anger out on me." Bonnie walked over to the bed and sat down beside him, staring at the side of his face, his mauve pouty lips and wide eyes.

"I know." Damon murmured. "But he's all I got, Bonnie. I can't live knowing that my brother is dead."

Bonnie had to bite her tongue. She knew that Damon loved his brother, but he was also the one that caused his brother so much pain. It was touching to see the softer side of him all the same.

"I know, how it feels to love and lose someone. First my grams, and then my dad. I didn't think I could go on without my grams, but I found the strength to do it; and when Silas killed my dad, it devastated me. I could have saved him." Bonnie looked out into space as she recalled what had happened to her grandmother and father. "We will get Stefan back. I promise you, Damon." She quickly looked back at him as she vowed to help him get his brother back.

Damon turned to her. He'd come into her dorm room raging and angry, like he was the only person in the world who had ever lost someone; and Bonnie, like him, knew that pain all too well, yet still she listened to him and sympathized with his pain. She didn't push it aside or ignore what he said all together like Elena had done on many occasions.

He immediately thought back to when he and Elena were locked up together, held captive by Dr. Wes. He told her about all the pain he had been through being an Augustine vampire, and Elena made the whole thing about her as she went on and on about her dad killing innocent people. Not once did she apologize or even ask what had happened to him.

But Bonnie didn't do that. She was sympathetic to his pain, and he felt sympathetic to hers. They had a beautiful connection, and they were both oblivious to this element about themselves and their wonderful dynamic as a duo.

"Bonnie, I'm sorry about your grams. I take full responsibility for that."

"It's okay, Damon. There was no way you would've known that her body could be so overwhelmed by magic."

"I know, but still." Damon replied as he looked Bonnie square in the eyes.

Once again they were sharing a moment, another long silence between them, but not an awkward one. It was peaceful, comforting, but this time it was Bonnie who broke their trance.

"Well, we better get going. I have to find Enzo. He's supposed to be helping me find another traveler who knows the spell." Bonnie got to her feet.

"Yeah, and I need to catch up with Liz. We need to find a way to stop Markos." Damon got to his feet next.

"Okay, so we'll talk later?"

He nodded and then left the room. Once he left Bonnie's presence. He went back to thinking about his brother, and a way that he could destroy Markos and the other Travelers.

::::::

Damon had come up with a plan to destroy the Travelers and Markos. Sheriff Forbes agreed to stall them by keeping them entertained at the Grill. Now all that was left was for him to fill Jeremy and Matt in on the plan.

After Damon strategized with Liz he had the bright idea to share his plans with Elena. He spent an entire hour in the woods arguing with her about why he shouldn't be the one to go on a suicide mission to help find and save his brother and the town. He couldn't understand why he felt the need to even include her in on it. He regretted it soon after, but what was done was done.

After talking with Bonnie, he found the strength to do what he needed to. All was going according to plan. Bonnie and Enzo had found a traveler to teach her the spell, and Caroline had given Liv a bit of incentive to perform the ritual, getting his brother back wasn't just a pipe dream anymore. After this day, they could all live happily ever after, so Damon thought.

One thing he hadn't factored into his plans was how he would save Bonnie. He was so concerned about his brother and getting rid of Markos that he didn't think once or even twice after leaving Bonnie's dorm room that morning about how she was going to die when the Other Side collapsed. Nothing about this day for Damon was normal. His brother was dead, and that changed everything, mostly his way of thinking.

::::::

Bonnie lied, yet again, to Jeremy. She couldn't tell him the truth about her dying. She really wanted to; she needed to prepare him for the inevitable, but she knew instead of him helping her come up with a plan to save her life he would only try to stop her.

Bonnie didn't want to be stopped. She couldn't let the Other Side collapse without saving her friends and family—her grams being first—and deep down inside there was this urgency and a certain obligation she felt to help Damon get his brother back as well. She even took Enzo under her wing, and she didn't know why. Perhaps it was because Damon cared so deeply for him, or maybe she was just a fool.

She liked to argue that fact with herself all the time, but she couldn't help but do the right thing by people, and some days she wished that gene had been removed from her body. She felt like a slave to her friends, especially to Elena, but Caroline had killed to protect her.

Stefan had been there for her countless times and had even admitted to killing Enzo's late girlfriend in order to save her life. It was those moments that kept her going, that made her see that sacrificing herself, yet again, was not all in vain because the people she was risking her life for cared about her, too; even Damon, in his own little, weird way had been instrumental in being there for her, like coming up with the plan to protect her from Klaus.

Helping him to bring Stefan back to life was the least she could do for Damon. She never thanked him for fighting so hard to give her back her life. She figured he did it all for. It couldn't have been for himself. She had let that idea cross her mind, off and on, every day since she had returned to the land of the living. Did Damon fight so hard to bring her back just for himself? Had he really come to care for her that much that he couldn't bear the thought of living in a world where she didn't exist?

Bonnie pushed the thoughts to the corner of her mind as she walked slowly through the woods of the Other Side looking for her grams. Silas had given her the spell that would allow her to bring back her friends and she was anxious to tell her grams so that she would be front and center once the ritual began. Even though her life wasn't promised, knowing that she brought back her grams before she left the world permanently gave her some peace of mind.

Bonnie finally stumbled upon her grandmother's grave. She waited for five minutes, twitching nervously. She was anxious.

"Come on, Grams. Where are you?" Bonnie inquired impatiently.

"Didn't I teach you not to rush your elders?" Sheila stated. "We move a little slower." She smiled.

"I found us all a way out." Bonnie walked quickly to Sheila.

"You think I was born yesterday?" Sheila said, knowingly. "I know what you're doing. You cannot survive all of these people going through you and even if you could, when it's all said and done, you're still the anchor, and when this place-,"

"I know what you're about to say." Bonnie interrupted.

"No you don't." She paused. "I was going to say that it's been my privilege to watch you grow into the beautiful woman you've become." Sheila smiled and Bonnie giggled, sniffling.

She looked her grams directly in the eyes. "You need to pass through me when the ritual begins."

"No." Shelia shook her head. "I'm going to stay here."

"Grams, you can't. This place is imploding and taking everyone with it." Bonnie argued on a huff of disbelief.

"I can't, Bonnie. You're not the only member of this family who knows how to make a sacrifice." "What does that mean?" Bonnie was perplexed by her grams' statement.

"It means that I'm going to be fine. I've found peace because I've made sure that you'll find yours."

"I don't understand." Bonnie shook her head, confused.

"Not your concern. Just know that I looked out for you." Sheila looked at her granddaughter with watery eyes before pulling her into a warm embrace. "I love you, Bonnie," The woman said as she began to lightly sob.

Bonnie rubbed her grandmother's back briskly as she cried.

"Be strong, Bonnie," Sheila said.

Bonnie clutched her grams tightly before whispering that she loved her, too. Sheila Bennett walked away. Bonnie wiped the tears from her eyes and turned away. Lexi and Stefan were there the whole time listening to Bonnie and Grams talk.

::::::

Damon sat on his car at the edge of Mystic Falls. He needed this moment of silence to grieve over his brother properly and in his own way. He contemplated how he would be committing suicide and that he had promised Elena that he would come back.

He hoped that he would be able to keep that promise. In this moment of silence he still hadn't thought about the fact that Bonnie would be gone forever. He assumed that once he destroyed the Travelers that everything would just reset itself.

Damon's head was a haze of random thoughts and ideas which completely had taken his focus off of what he needed to do for Bonnie. He finished off his liquor and hopped in to his car. As he sped back to Mystic Falls, he ran into Elena. Nothing gave him so much joy than seeing this woman. This woman who was no longer the fresh face and innocent girl that he had first met.

Elena not only was the worst version of herself but her looks had faded, too, mirroring her very self-absorbed and selfish personality. Her voice was courser, her skin was lackluster, and Damon was too obsessed to even notice her horrible and drastic changes; or, he ignored it because nothing meant more to him than being able to roll around in the sack with her. It had become the most comforting thing in the world to him.

Elena pleaded with him to piggyback on his suicide mission. He didn't like it but she made him a dumbass instead of the smart cunning individual he used to be. He welcomed her, with little to no argument on her part at all, to come along.

Alaric had warned him not minutes ago to not blow up the woman he loved, but no matter to Damon. He got the girl, so he could do whatever he wanted with her. Neither Damon nor Elena gave one thought to Jeremy and his wellbeing or the fact that he would be losing his last surviving immediate family member and the woman he loved all in one night. Not only that, but there wasn't even a guarantee that they could be brought back. But as usual, it was all about them and no one else.

Bonnie's wellbeing didn't matter. The fact that her bringing them back to life could hurt her didn't even register. They couldn't bear to live without each other and that's all that mattered.

As Damon gunned it towards Mystic's Grill, Elena held tightly to the front seat and not to the man she supposedly loved with all the passion of a thousand suns as she had claimed. It was Damon, yet again, who had to come to her as he slapped his hand over hers and gripped it firmly as he gunned it for the Grill and their inevitable deaths.

Damon's Camaro drove through the Grill at over a hundred miles an hour. Bricks, wood, glass, tables, and an atomic-sized explosion forced the car to a cruel and deadly halt. Damon's body went flying through the windshield and Elena's body went up in flames as it was secured by her seatbelt.

Damon woke up and took off to find Bonnie and Alaric. Elena came to minutes later discovering that she had been separated from her umbilical cord. She took off in a flash to look for Damon but found Stefan and Lexi instead.

Bonnie watched in frustration as Elena threw a tantrum about not leaving without Damon. She looked at Stefan and nodded and without warning she grabbed Elena and the bothersome woman passed through her. Elena ripped into Bonnie for her insolence just as Caroline appeared out of nowhere instantly wanting to know what was going on, and Bonnie began to violently choke on her own blood.

"Oh, my God, Bonnie!" Caroline gasped, and Elena didn't seem to care as she was still having a hard time grasping the fact that she had been kicked out of the nest without her daddy.

"This can't be it." Elena cried.

"I can't do this." Bonnie rolled her eyes at the unbearably selfish woman and then walked away.

She was immediately back on the Other Side. She beamed big and bright when she saw Damon and Alaric approaching.

"Thank God." She whispered with a dazzling smile. She never thought in a million years that seeing Damon Salvatore would make her so darn happy and relieved. She supposed it was because saving him would make Elena happy, but really it was the simple fact that she could bring him back to life like he had done for her.

Once Alaric and Damon were within arm's reach, she took ahold of her old friend and he passed over.

"Where is Elena and Stefan?" Damon asked worriedly.

"They're okay." Bonnie smiled through a giggle. She knew that this information would please him, because at the end of the day, they were both two people who would save the people that they loved at all cost.

"Okay," Damon smiled sweetly at her, his face childlike.

"Okay, come on." Bonnie smiled as she signaled to Damon to pass through her.

Damon quickly nodded and stood still. Bonnie hurriedly grabbed him but he didn't pass. They looked into each other's eyes, confused. Bonnie grabbed him again, and Damon still didn't pass.

Devastated, her eyes slowly traveled up to his. She wanted to save him with all her heart. She wanted to give him what he had given her, a second chance at life.

"Well, would you look at that?" Damon stated nonchalantly.

They both stared at each other for a moment and then Bonnie walked away. She dreaded immediately having to tell Elena the sad news, but she was a strong woman. She could handle her spoiled friend.

Elena went bursting into the building in the graveyard. She called out Liv's name, and just as she was turning around, Bonnie was walking in behind her.

"We need to find them. We need to start the spell again." Elena rushed out as she pushed her hair behind her ear.

"We can't. That was our one shot." Bonnie stated calmly.

"But…but yeah, Damon's on the Other-,"

"Elena," Bonnie said in a stern voice, instantly shushing the woman. "It's too late."

"No." Elena cried as she drifted back against the wall.

Damon finally entered.

"He's here. You can say goodbye," Bonnie said and then left the two alone.

Damon told Elena 'goodbye'. He thanked her for loving him. He told her how she was the best thing to ever happen to him since he had been in the world. He had peaked with her. He was as happy as he had ever been or could get. Real love didn't peak, but Damon was still oblivious to what real love was.

Whilst he gave Elena the most touching and endearing goodbye speech of his life, Elena did nothing but cry about herself, telling him not to leave her. She didn't once say she loved him, and Damon stood patiently by, hoping to hear those words part her lips one last time before he left the land of the living for good, but those words never came. Elena couldn't say 'goodbye' or 'I love you' to the man she claimed to be so in love with. She couldn't give him that peace, only, "Please don't leave me," she chanted like a broken record.

While Damon was saying his final goodbye's to Elena, Bonnie was giving her final farewell to Jeremy, who couldn't seem to wrap his head around what was happening because Bonnie never included him in on major decisions or problems in her life. Jeremy demanded that she stay put so that he could come to her and give her a proper goodbye or make some last ditch effort to save her.

"Bonnie! Bonnie! Bonnie!" He yelled hysterically through all his pain and fear as he ran through the graveyard, alerting the others to what was going on.

"Tyler, Stefan, Caroline, Alaric, and Elena came running out from nowhere. Jeremy had finally spotted Bonnie standing in the graveyard, and just like that, her life force was gone; she melded into the Other Side.

Bonne stood frozen, watching as the Other Side was evaporating right in front of her eyes. She was ready and willing to face this thing alone. She figured that Damon was long gone by now, pulled into the nothingness, and even if he were there, he probably wanted to be alone to grieve over Elena, and she was okay with that.

For one fleeting moment, Bonnie thought about what her grams had said to her. What did her grams do? Once this place imploded, where would she go? What would happen to her? As the questions about what Sheila had said to her looped over and over in her mind, she heard a branch breaking behind her. Damon. They glanced at each other for a second, and then Bonnie turned back towards the growing, blaring light.

He was finally there standing beside her, the wind blowing the scent of his cologne in her direction.

"I'm sure there are a million other people we'd both rather be here with right now, but-," She placed her hand behind his, their fingertips gently brushed against each other's. They interlocked their fingers and gripped each other's hand firmly. Bonnie looked down at their linked hands nervously, and Damon looked down, too, not seeming to mind at all that they were holding hands.

"A couple of thousand at most." He smiled sweetly, his comment eliciting a giggle from a frightened Bonnie.

Bonnie's smile quickly dropped as she looked at Damon unlike she ever had before, and he the same. He gazed at her in the most dangerous and affectionate of ways. If Bonnie didn't know better, she'd swear that Damon Salvatore was happy about dying with her.

It was Bonnie who turned away first, looking back to the light. They both now stood looking at the growing light in silence as the winds lightly swayed their bodies.

"Do you think it'll hurt?" Bonnie asked, her face open and innocent.

"I don't kno-," Damon was silenced as the Other Side finally imploded.

Suddenly, Damon and Bonnie could tell their bodies were traveling at unrecognizable amounts of speed because they couldn't open their eyes. They were moving so fast that it was like they weren't moving at all.

As their bodies traveled through the portal that they couldn't see, they felt extremely hot, as if the sun were right on their backs; then, they felt extremely cold as if they were laying on a bed of ice. They heard the sounds of animals and then something that sounded much like thunder.

This went on for what seemed like forever as their hair flapped harshly against their faces, making tiny little scratches on their skin.

_Why is it taking so long for this place to implode?_ Damon questioned frustratingly in thought.

_Oh my god, why won't this stop. Please stop,_ Bonnie thought frantically.

They both tried to call to each other numerous times but the speed that their bodies were traveling made the simple task of parting their lips the impossible.

Their bodies had finally slowed down enough for them to realize that they were actually moving. They screamed in horror as their bodies were ripped violently apart as they came hurtling down to planet.

Bonnie screamed as her body flew down toward a lush green hillside. She closed her eyes and braced for impact. She went tumbling down the hill. She rolled for what seemed like forever before stopping just short of plunging into a jagged rock.

Damon's landing was similar, but into a puddle of mud instead. He flashed to a standing position and around in a circle frantically looking for Bonnie.

He sped to the edge of the hillside and began to panic when he didn't see her.

"Bonnie! Bonnie!" Damon looked around the vast land, terror in his wide eyes. They didn't survive an imploding of the Other Side to be ripped apart, now. He'd be damned if he lost the only person he knew and was comfortable with on a foreign planet.

"Bonnie! Bonnie!" He called in a painful, shaken voice as he sped around the hillside and the one near it fearfully.

Bonnie stood up slowly and began limping through the forest. Droplets of blood rolled down her eyelid and she quickly wiped it away. She panicked when she didn't see Damon close by. She was okay with facing whatever, but only if her partner in crime was here to face it with her.

"Damon! " Bonnie yelled, her eyes moistening in the process. "Damon, where are you!" Bonnie called louder as the panic rose in waves. She had limped through the hot forest keying in on all the weird and scary sounds around her. "Damon!" Bonnie yelled again, and then began to cry. "Please, God."

Damon jerked his head to the left of him. He could have sworn he heard his name being called in the distance as he looked around fitfully for Bonnie. He heard his name again and he flashed to the sound of it. The sounds in the forest made his skin crawl, and if it made him slightly afraid, he shuddered to think about how they made Bonnie feel.

He stopped dead in his tracks, hoping to hear the sound of his name again, a light wind blew and it carried with it Bonnie's scent. Damon flashed off in the direction of her aroma.

"Bonnie!" He beamed once stumbling upon the woman. "You're okay," he said winded.

"Damon! Thank God!" She stated excitedly, all of her pearly white teeth showing as she tried to limp to him.

Damon flashed immediately to her, stopping her from going any further. "Here, sit down. Let me take a look at your leg," he said concerned.

Bonnie eased down to the forest floor and held her leg out for Damon to inspect, and he did so, carefully and tenderly. She watched as Damon touched and lightly massaged her leg. He had never been so tender with her—as far as she knew—and it warmed her heart and made her extremely nervous all the same.

Damon slowly moved his fingers up her leg, massaging out the pain. He had done this much longer than he really needed to but he couldn't help it. He felt this noticeable peace and calm around Bonnie and it was oddly wonderful to him. He had always felt this way before, but so many things in Mystic Falls, mainly Elena, stifled and made those feelings all hazy.

"Am I going to be okay?" Bonnie asked softly.

"Uh, yeah, it's not broken, but you still should have my blood. There's no telling how long we'll have to travel by foot for a place to stay." Damon bit in to his wrist and held it to Bonnie's lips.

She gazed down at his bloody wrist before clamping her mouth over it and taking in his blood. The move instantly took Damon back in time to when he gave Bonnie his blood to save her life after she was attacked by Alaric, but this time it was different because she was conscious, and her lips were moving ever so tenderly over his slowly closing wound.

He looked at her with such affection and Bonnie missed it all as her eyes were closed through the entire interaction.

She pulled away and Damon quickly pulled his arm away, too. "How do you feel?"

"Better." Bonnie nodded with a smile.

Damon got to his feet and looked around the area, putting his vampire hearing to use. He could hear a waterfall and animals off in the distance. He stood up and looked carefully around at the lush green grass, tall trees, and a mountain off in the distance.

The place was beautiful. It reminded him of the untouched parts of New Zealand but even more beautiful, if that were possible. He was able to really appreciate their surroundings, now that he had found Bonnie and she was okay.

Bonnie peeled her eyes away from Damon and began to take it all in as well. She looked up to the sky and saw three moons. Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened as she gazed at all three of them. _Could this place truly be? Did grams actually send me here?_

"Come on. Let's walk around. See if we can find a place to sleep tonight."

"How do you know this place has a night?" Bonnie asked.

Damon squinted his eyes in thought. He looked at her before answering.

"It has a moon and a sun, surely it has a night," he said sarcastically.

Bonnie nodded. She was in shock and really didn't feel like debating with Damon on the matter. He then took her by the hands and helped her up off the ground. They interlocked their fingers like before and he led her to the sounds of the water in hopes that there would be a cave and a nice comfortable place where Bonnie could lay her head while he hunted for food.

Bonnie and Damon walked for hours, never finding the waterfall that he heard. Now, they were many miles away from it. He was sure of this. As they walked along the thick forest, Damon became aware that his and Bonnie's hands were interlocked again, and that they both were doing this thing together, and not fussing or fighting with each other.

Bonnie didn't complain about how hot this place was or how tired her feet must have been in her two inch heeled boots, she soldiered on into this unknown wilderness with him.

They always had this connection to each other, and the first time they had really sat down and had a decent conversation was earlier that day in her dorm room.

Damon still couldn't believe he had thrown such a tirade in front of her about losing his brother. After he left her, he was on a mission to get Stefan back, and nothing else mattered. He let their little moment slip out the window like a little bird, and now here he was, with her. Now they were dead, or alive. But in any case, he now had lots of time to think about that moment.

Damon began to wonder why he had never made a conscious effort to be friends with Bonnie before. He had hobnobbed around with Caroline on occasion, and why? Caroline hated him, but since his relationship with Elena and her little mishap with Klaus they eased into being comfortable with each other, so why couldn't he have done this with Bonnie, too?

Over the years, the sassy little Bonnie had wormed her way into his heart; though, he couldn't quite figure out at what capacity. All he knew was when he found out she was dead, he had to get her back; and, at some point, while working with Silas and then Qetsiyah to accomplish that goal, he realized that he was fighting harder to bring Bonnie back than Elena and Jeremy. In fact, he was the one to come up with the plan, and Elena had almost compromised his mission. She didn't even apologize for it. She was too busy riding on cloud nine because Stefan had rescued her from the big bad Qetsiyah.

The moment he thought about Elena messing up his plans he began to think about how toxic and crazy his relationship with her was. He had put her and Stefan through hell to steal her away and when he finally won her it turned out to be horrible.

Their relationship was a disaster, but he couldn't stand being without her. He had to keep jumping into the ring of fire with Elena because it felt so good to screw all their cares and pains away. But now, he couldn't do that because he was here in some unknown world, without Elena, and his mind was at ease, surprisingly.

Perhaps he was occupied by the fact that he had to take care of Bonnie. Perhaps it was this great need to protect her. Whatever it was, his relationship with Elena, or lack thereof, was not an issue at present, but his survival and protecting Bonnie was.

Bonnie looked ahead but she also kept a careful watch over her hand in Damon's. The vampire seemed to be holding onto her for dear life. There were moments when he gripped her hand tighter than usual and then his grip would loosen. It was as if he were mulling over things and she could certainly understand why.

He had been ripped away from the woman he loved more than life itself. She, too, thought about her grams and the fact that she would never see her again, and how not coming clean with Jeremy caused her to feel guilty. She didn't want to die, but she wanted to enjoy her last days with him.

She was given a second chance at life and she wasn't going to let that stop her from being happy while she waited to die –again, and she knew if she told Jeremy about what could happen to her that he would be worried about her the entire time and they wouldn't have made all those wonderful memories.

Bonnie suddenly lost her train of thought when Damon came to a complete stop.

"Okay, we'll stay here for the night. I'll go gather up some wood and get a fire going."

"But it's so hot. Do we really need a fire?" Bonnie asked as she took off her jacket and wrapped it around her waist. She felt relieved after removing the heavy garment. She blasted herself in thought for not doing it sooner. She looked up to the sky, seeing that it was indeed getting darker. Damon had called it right. She was impressed.

"But the nights here could get very cold, Bonnie, and we need the light and maybe we could use the fire for protection to ward off animals and predators." Damon answered passively, a stoic look on his face.

Bonnie was surprised that he wasn't sarcastic. _Maybe the heat is getting to his brain,_ she giggled in thought.

"Stay here. I'll be right back." Damon sped away, leaving Bonnie alone.

Bonnie looked around their beautiful surroundings smiling serenely. Here she was, alive. Her grams had a plan, and it involved her being alive. She quickly lost her smile. _If I hadn't been holding Damon's hand, he would be gone, gone with the Other Side_.

"You okay?" Damon asked.

Bonnie turned around to him, gravely. She looked at Damon who was holding an armful of branches.

"Nothing. I was just thinking of what my grams told me before she disappeared."

"What was it?" Damon asked.

"She said that I wasn't the only one who knew how to make sacrifices and that she could go in peace because she made sure that I would have peace as well." Bonnie stated somberly.

"Unf, that may explain why we're here."

"Yeah, it may. I guess we better try to come up with a plan to get back home." Bonnie suggested.

Damon looked at Bonnie for a moment, puzzled, before taking off his jacket and getting to his knees. He dug a hole in the ground at vampire speed before throwing the limbs inside along with some dried leaves and then surrounded the shallow opening with rocks. He grabbed two of the smaller pieces of the wood and rubbed them together briskly until sparks flew from them.

"Wow, Damon." Bonnie smiled.

"You like that?" Damon smiled back at her.

Bonnie nodded quickly. They were getting along quite well so far. She supposed that dying with him had changed things. Damon quickly scooted against a tree, placing his jacket under his bottom. He looked over at Bonnie and she met his gaze.

"This plan of yours to go home, it sounds great but kind of impossible to do since you no longer have your powers." Damon seemed almost saddened by the fact.

It made Bonnie somewhat happy, but then again, Damon did want to go home and so did she for that matter, so her not having her powers was pretty sad in this instance.

"Yeah." She sighed. "I know Elena and Stefan won't give up on looking for you."

Damon let out a short chortle. "They won't give up on you either, Bonnie." He stated as if he were annoyed by her comment.

"Please, all Elena cares about is you." Bonnie stated hilariously and Damon frowned.

She quickly lost her smile. She couldn't believe those words had escaped her lips, but Elena wasn't the same person anymore, and she was tired of pretending otherwise.

"She didn't seem to care when I was coughing on my own blood in the woods after saving her." Bonnie hissed.

"Well, she does." Damon stated defensively.

There was another long awkward silence between them. Damon began to wonder how he and Bonnie were going to fair, all alone, without a buffer. Yes, they came up with plans to take down the big bad evils together, but they had never been thrust into a situation where they had to completely rely on one another for survival, and the idea of it all made him somewhat nervous.

"I'm feeling a little bit thirsty. I'm going to go and see if I can find some water." Bonnie got to her feet and started walking in the direction they had come from.

"Whoa, whoa, where the hell do you think you're going?" Damon flashed to his feet and stared Bonnie down.

"You need some time alone, and I need some water." She replied impassively.

"Bonnie, we don't know what kind of evil or creatures reside in this world. The last thing we need to do is separate." He expressed vehemently. "I'll come with you."

"What about the fire, and do you still hear the waterfall?"

"I'll put the fire out; and no, I don't hear the waterfall. We've come way past that point." He answered disappointedly.

"Ugh, great." Bonnie huffed.

"Look, do you think you can wait until tomorrow? You really need to rest. We've been walking for hours." Damon explained.

"Yeah, you're right." Bonnie sat against the tree a few feet away from the tree Damon rested against.

They were back to their awkward silence as night slowly descended upon them. Bonnie smiled aimlessly as she thought about her time with Jeremy, and Damon was on the other tree remembering his summer with Elena before she went off to the college. It was the time in their lives when things seemed so perfect.

"Damon."

"Yes." He smiled

"Thank you." Bonnie announced.

"For what?" He raised an eyebrow curiously at her.

"For bringing me back to life."

"Don't, Bonnie," Damon said sternly.

Bonnie looked at him peculiarly. "Why don't you want me to thank you?"

"Because, I didn't do it to win brownie points with you. I did it because if anyone deserves to live, it's you. Not me, not Elena, not Stefan, but you."

Bonnie's eyes widened. She couldn't believe that Damon Salvatore thought she, Bonnie Bennett, deserved to live over Elena Gilbert. She had half of mind to ask him why he felt that way, but decided that maybe that conversation was for another day.

"…and I'm sorry, too, Bonnie." Damon announced.

"For what?" Bonnie raised her brow.

"I was so hell-bent on bringing my brother back that I didn't even think to come up with a plan to save you, and even when I was about to pass through you, I didn't say 'thank you,' or 'goodbye,'" he said shamefully.

"It's okay, Damon. The night was mad crazy."

"Even so, you saved everyone but your grams, and yourself. You brought back Alaric, Stefan, and Elena," he paused and rolled his eyes, "…and she should have never been there in the first place." He huffed regretfully. It was in this moment that Damon saw what a bad idea it was to let Elena come along with him. That little incident was one of the many reasons why they should have never been together as a couple. "You even brought back Enzo, who threatened to kill you." Damon looked Bonnie square in the eyes.

"Saving the people I love and seeing them happy makes me happy." Bonnie stated sweetly, and Damon smiled.

They soon went back to their uncomfortable silence. Bonnie rocked her knee from side to side. She didn't know how the hell she was going to get to sleep while outside in the wide open in a foreign world not knowing what lurked in the woods, in the air, or in the water. As Bonnie thought about her surroundings she looked up to the sky. It was magnificent. Seeing the large moons hovering overhead and the stars in the sky that seemed to twinkle to the likes of music made her feel like she was in a dream world.

"It's beautiful." She whispered.

"What?" Damon looked at Bonnie and she pointed to the sky.

He looked up. Damon didn't want to smile at all the beauty he saw but there was no way he could hide how beautiful he felt while looking at this sky. His lips unconsciously curled into a crooked little smirk. Before they knew it, they were both gazing upward until their lids were too heavy to keep open. Damon's head fell back against the tree and Bonnie's head fell forward, her chest propping it up.

As Bonnie slept, a mysterious gray slimy creature slithered down the tree and over her shoulder. Bonnie finally began to stir when she felt something moving on her. She slowly opened her eyes and spotted the creature immediately as it tried to glide over her right breast.

She screamed at the top of her lungs, quickly jumped to her feet and stomping around in a circle trying to get the animal off of her.

The loud ruckus woke Damon. He flashed to a standing position, seeing the creature instantaneously. He grabbed the animal and slung it through the air. The creature was gone and Bonnie was still screaming bloody murder.

"Bonnie! Bonnie!" Damon shook her gently by the shoulders trying to bring her back to get her to stop. "It's okay. It's okay." He searched over her body frantically, his eyes like saucers.

"Oh, my God. It was on me! It was on me! It was crawling on me!" Bonnie yelled hysterically with wide eyes, her chest heaving.

"I know. I know. But it's gone, now. It's okay." Damon instinctively brought Bonnie into an embrace. He looked out into the dark woods worriedly as he rocked Bonnie gently in his arms. It wasn't the first time he had hugged her, but this time it felt different. This time he didn't want to let go. Bonnie, too, felt something.

Damon Salvatore had never hugged her (so she believed), but here she was, locked in his arms. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his back as she cradled her head against his chest. She felt safe. She even felt loved, and she couldn't understand it.

Damon continued to hold her. He even went so far as to rub the back of her head tenderly. After several minutes had gone by of him comforting her, he finally found the will to push away. He took her by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. "Are you okay?" He asked with a worried look on his face, his forehead wrinkled.

Bonnie nodded quickly. "I think, but there's no way I'll be able to go back to sleep."

"Try to get some rest. I'll keep a look out."

He walked over to his jacket, laid it by the fire, and gestured for her to lie down. Bonnie looked at the jacket before quickly grabbing hers and then laying down on his. Damon sat back up against the tree with his legs agape and rested his elbows on his knees. He stared at the back of Bonnie's head for what seemed like forever. He couldn't take his eyes off of her.

::::::

A/N: XOXOXO BAMON SISTERS!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: AU: I hope you all like this chapter as well. I wanted to continue with Bonnie and Damon trying to find their way and survive on this planet whilst getting to know each other and work through certain fears and things that happened between them that has never been addressed on the show.

I will show the Mystic Falls gang in the next chapter. It still won't be Elena Gilbert friendly.

Oblivion Chapter 2: I know you

Damon found himself not able to take his eyes off of Bonnie. He didn't understand what was wrong with him, but he soon believed he'd figured it out. He promised to stand guard. He promised to watch over her. He didn't blink or look away for the fear that something might crawl on her or attack her. If that happened, she would be angry with him because he promised to keep an eye on things.

Yes, that was it, Damon convinced himself. After watching Bonnie for a full two hours without blinking, reading the watch on his wrist which oddly still worked after passing through a space time continuum, he decided to give his eyes and legs a break.

He stood and stretched as he looked to the sky, smiling He loved the way the stars seemed to twinkle in this new world. Damon never figured himself to be the sentimental type; he never had a reason to be. He spent a hundred plus years waiting for a comet to fly across the midnight sky but he never thought to just gaze at it with anticipation because he knew when that would happen.

The night he needed to save his beloved Katherine Pierce was the only time he cared to look up. He then spent the rest of his time in Mystic Falls disrespecting Elena and bullying his way into her heart all whilst making his brother's life a living hell in the process by ignoring all of his warnings and threats to stay away from Elena and her friends. He took his job of harassing Elena and her friends seriously, and killing Stefan's best friend right in front of him was just the icing on the cake.

He was quite the charming fellow when he first came back to Mystic Falls. He kept at his beautiful assaults, working on the flaky and disloyal Elena until he won her heart. The day she hissed her declaration of love to him in front of the fire place was the happiest of his life. He won Stefan's girl and he even got a chance to gloat about it. Their road to love was so epic that even Klaus, another sociopath, wanted to know how he was able to win Elena Gilbert over.

Deep in the back of his mind he knew that the sire bond had propelled Elena's feelings along, which is why he was leery about her love at first; but, after she lost her humanity and gained it back, he'd won her love fair and square, or so he believed. He smiled as he reminisced about all the sex he and Elena had all summer long while his brother drowned over and over again in a safe, something he never thought about again after his brother was freed because he had the girl.

As Damon remembered his relationship, he began to feel sick at the stomach. He chalked it up to hunger pains. He really didn't want to admit that the road to winning Elena was a sick one, and not one to brag about at all.

Damon pushed his forehead into his hand and closed his eyes. Why did he decide to have a conscience, now? He supposed it was because his brother had died, or maybe it was because _he_ had died. Even though Stefan had been brought back to life, he still couldn't shake the image of his gray and lifeless corpse lying on the couch in the living room in front of him.

Now, here he was, in a whole other world. His brother was alive and he was trillions of miles away from him, he guessed. His brother, or even Elena for that matter, could be dead and he wouldn't even know it.

His thoughts shifted in a blink of an eye from his brother to Elena only once more. It pained him to think about all the hell she was currently going through. He wished like hell that he could be there. The last thing he wanted to do was leave her, the love of his life. As soon as he and Bonnie found a way home he was going to rip her clothes off, sweep her up in his arms, and make mad, passionate love to her; and, after he finished, he was going to do it all over again.

Damon smiled when he thought of all the places he and Elena made love, and then he thought about some places where they hadn't. As soon as he got back he'd make sure to cross those places off of his list. He soon forgot about all the heartache he caused Stefan as his thoughts spiraled deeper into his sexual fantasies. In fact, he was doing what he had always done, shifting his thoughts to sex to avoid facing the real issues before him.

Damon was pulled from his fantasies when he heard an animal in the woods. It sounded more like an alien than anything harmless. It sounded huge, scary—something he knew Bonnie wouldn't want to hear or see. He scanned the area, looking towards the woods with his vampire vision, which seemed quite magnificent in this new world. He sped back to Bonnie.

He kneeled down over her body and looked around her, making sure nothing foreign or deadly-looking was crawling on or around her. He jumped stealthily into a tree, as high up as he could go. From here the view was nice. He scanned out as far as his eyes could see, seeing nothing. He looked back down at Bonnie.

It wasn't unknown for aliens to sneak in and grab someone while the lookout was preoccupied with something else. Damon snickered. He had watched way too many alien movies. In any case, he was glad to see that Bonnie was still there, just as he'd left her not minutes ago.

He jumped down out of the tree and sat back down against it. Pushing his knees to his chest, he rested his forearms on his knees and continued to watch over their little camp. Damon nodded off a few times throughout the night. He only woke when he heard snarling or things that seemed too close to their encampment.

When dawn was finally upon them, Damon opened his lids, as the sun beating down on his face. Just as he woke, so did Bonnie.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty." Damon smiled.

"What's so good about it?" Bonnie stated groggily.

He laughed. "I always took you for a morning person, Bonnie Bennett."

"It's hard to be a morning person when you've slept on dirt and rocks and God knows what else all night." Bonnie smiled then got to her feet and turned to face Damon. "Did you sleep last night?" She asked.

"I slept on and off." He answered.

"Ugh, you were supposed to be watching me." Bonnie teased.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Damon laughed. He quickly got to his feet and dusted off the back of his pants.

"Well, we better head out and try to take advantage of the sunlight." He rushed to the still burning fire, stomped it out, and then looked back at Bonnie. They gazed into each other's eyes, staring at one another affectionately. Damon finally decided to look away, grabbing his jacket. "You ready?"

Bonnie nodded and Damon gestured in the direction he wanted them to go. She followed. They walked for two hours straight, not saying a word to each other. Hunger was beginning to take hold on Damon to the point that he was actually praying for a squirrel or a doe, anything with four legs and fur.

It was in this moment he wished he and Bonnie were drinking buddies or that they had hung out together more often; then, he would feel more comfortable asking her for her blood.

"Damon, do you think we can stop for a bit?"

"Yeah, sure." He turned to face her.

Bonnie fell back against the tree. She tilted her head back against it and gently wiped the sweat away from her brow and her neck. Damon watched her carefully. His eyes shifted from her forehead and down to her neck, his eyes widening at the sight of Bonnie's fast pulsating vein. He licked his lips mindlessly before leaning against a tree.

As Damon honed in on the sound of Bonnie's heartbeat and her vivacious vein he thought back to the night in the woods when Emily had possession over her body. He remembered that night vividly as he'd flashed to Bonnie and viciously plunge his deadly fangs in to her slender neck. He blinked rapidly as Bonnie's shrill from that night vibrated through his consciousness. He turned away from her, fear on his face. He grabbed his temple and closed his eyes tightly, trying to shake the awful night from his memory bank.

"Damon, are you okay?" Bonnie asked concerned.

"Yeah." Damon answered worriedly before turning back to her. He wished that he could tell Bonnie what he was thinking but the last thing he wanted to do was push her away by making her relive that awful night all over again. "Get some rest. I'll see if I can find something for you to eat."

"Okay." Bonnie nodded.

Damon flashed away and looked high and low for something he could feed on. He still had a little life in him but if he didn't feed soon he wasn't sure if he could be of any use to Bonnie, or himself for that matter.

Bonnie drifted down to the forest floor, laid her head on her knees, and thought about Jeremy and the rest of the Mystic Falls gang. She was sure that Caroline was probably a basket case over her. She was positive that Elena felt the same over Damon but maybe thought about her in passing, too.

She was happy to know that they had each other, though, even if she was sure that Stefan was mad with grief. She worried about him a lot. Without Damon, Stefan would probably turn off his memory and just walk away from it all. She was really hoping that Caroline would be the moral compass in his life and help him to be strong.

She then thought about the time that she and Jeremy first made love. Everything between them before she left was so perfect. They were stuck to each other like glue. She never once thought about how bad their relationship actually was, like how they withheld important things from each other, or their trust issues. She could only see the good times they'd shared, all the glimmer of their relationship.

As Bonnie rested her head on her knees she felt something wet hit the back of her neck. She quickly looked up. It was rain. This world had rain, _but of course,_ she thought.

"Can this get any better?" Bonnie stood up and slapped her hands against her thighs. The raindrops grew bigger and they began to fall faster and harder. Within minutes there was a torrential downpour. She held her arms over her head for a lot of good that it would do her. She then hurriedly untied her jacket from around her waist and held it over her head. Damon quickly flashed back to her.

"I found water." He joked.

"Thank you." Bonnie laughed.

"You ready to go?" Damon asked.

Bonnie nodded and they began their journey again. They walked in the pouring rain for over thirty minutes not speaking to each other. Bonnie wondered if it would always be like this between them. The one liners. The looks, but no deep conversation or even general conversation about anything.

She watched as Damon grabbed and beat branches and limbs out of their way with a stick. She was noticing so much about him now; the way he walked, his intensity, and many facial expressions. For the first time ever Bonnie was actually noticing Damon and she didn't seem to mind.

"What's on your mind?" She asked.

Damon kept walking. It took him a minute to answer. "Uh…not too much. Yours?"

"I'm hungry. I'm thirsty." She giggled. "Did you feed?" She asked.

"Uh…yeah." Damon lied.

"Well, you should have brought it back and cooked it for me." She chuckled again.

"I doubt you would want to eat what I had." He replied.

"What was it like?" Bonnie asked.

"I think it was the same animal that tried to make friends with you last night." He snickered.

"Ewwww!" Bonnie turned up her nose and Damon laughed.

"Yup, it tasted just like it looked." He continued to laugh.

Their awkward silence began again, and with it more rain along with roaring thunder. Bonnie's heart beat faster, and every time lightning would strike she would jump, anticipating the sound of thunder to follow. Damon grew wearier as the storm raged on. The strings of electricity seemed to be heading right for them and the ground was too full to absorb the insurmountable amounts of rain still falling from the purplish gray sky.

"Come on." Damon flashed around to Bonnie and picked her up bridal style.

"What's wrong? What's wrong?" Bonnie chanted frantically as she clung tightly to her jacket. Damon looked down to their feet and Bonnie's eyes followed. They were ankle deep in water, and she was so preoccupied with her fear she didn't even notice. "Oh shit!" Bonnie exclaimed.

"Hold on tight, Bon Bon."

Bonnie swung her left arm around him and buried her head in his neck as she closed her eyes. Damon sped away from their current location. As the vampire flashed through the forest fighting against the weight of the water on his feet, branches and limbs brutally assaulted his face. For the first time in his life Damon prayed to a higher power that it would just give them a break.

He kept his eyes open to everything in front of him. Before he knew it, a steep drop was upon them, but he was confident that he could make the jump to the other side, so he full-steamed straight ahead. He knew he shouldn't take chances with Bonnie's life, but he had to get her to safety if it was the last thing he did with his pathetic life. He prayed to whatever higher power was listening to him, again that he'd make it. Damon pushed his foot against the ground and propelled himself forward.

He was soaring through the air with his legs waving wildly in the wind and Bonnie screamed at the top of her lungs along the way. Within seconds Damon landed on the ball of his feet right on the edge. His body rocked back towards the drop off. He tossed Bonnie up into the air and rocked his body forward and flashed underneath her, catching her as she fell back to the earth.

"Oh, my God!" Bonnie screamed in relief when she met Damon's arms and not the ground. The man's eyes widened at the woman in astonishment. They looked at each other and then burst into a fit of laughter. Damon quickly sobered when he saw an opening in a rock face ahead of them.

He took off, startling Bonnie as his body jerked forward. Damon had run for what seemed like forever. The cave looked so close before, but it was much further than he needed it to be. Thirty minutes later, they had finally made it. Now was the hard part, climbing the side of the rocky hillside to get to what was their salvation.

"Come on. You first." Damon yelled against the thunder and the raging rain as water poured down his face.

"Okay!" Bonnie shouted back. She quickly put on her drenched jacket. She speedily felt around for a place in the rock facing to grip onto. She slowly began her climb and Damon took after her. An hour later they had finally made it to the opening. Bonnie climbed inside before grabbing the back of Damon's jacket, helping to pull him inside.

"Thank God! Thank God!" Bonnie smiled as her chest lifted and fell from her exertion. She was sated from their little adventure.

Damon stood up and looked out into the cave with his vampire sight. He was pleased to see that it was clear of any predators or foreign visitors and that there weren't any openings for anyone to sneak up on them, but he was sad to see that there were no rodents. What he wouldn't give for a juicy rat right now. He got to his knees and lay down. He smiled and then closed his eyes, glad to be out of the rain.

They slept until the next morning without flinching in their drenched clothes. Damon was the first to wake, sensing that the rain had stopped. The rain was enemy number one whilst he was out amongst it, but once inside the shelter of the cave it became a sleeping aid for him.

He looked over at Bonnie and listened in on her heartbeat to make sure she was okay. Once he knew she was alright he took off to find the both of them some food and water.

Getting down the rock face was much easier. Damon used his vampire abilities and leapt right out of the cave, landing on his feet. Once on the ground, he looked back up to the opening, worried. His need to protect Bonnie was instinct. He hated leaving her alone, but it was imperative that he find her food and water, and himself, too.

Without Bonnie he'd be all alone on his journey, and the thought of him returning home without Elena's best friend worried him. He needed to keep her safe…for Elena. He had convinced himself of this, and on more than one occasion.

He turned around to face the vast forest and then began his hunt. He had been walking for four hours and still hadn't found anything. He stopped for a spell and closed his eyes as he rested against a tree. He looked up at it. It was the first time he had noticed how ugly some of the trees in this place were.

The leaves on this particular tree looked like long green worms and the bark was much richer and darker in color than the ones he was familiar with. As he looked up at the tree he finally noticed a creature that would be perfect to feed on, but there was one problem. It was twice his size.

He got to his feet and glared up at the thing. It looked similar to a primate, but its belly was made of reptilian skin and it had four legs instead of two. Its similar features were its two arms and two hands but they had six fingers instead of five. The animal's face was somewhat flat and it had a long ugly scar, two long teeth which looked like fangs which sat over its bottom lip, and it had round, beady black eyes. "You are one ugly looking thing." Damon murmured.

The creature roared at him as if it knew exactly what he had said.

"Oh yeah, why don't you come down here and say that to my face." Damon wiggled his eyes at the animal.

The creature looked at him and then took off. It jumped from tree to tree faster than any primate Damon had ever seen. He was sure that catching it would be next to impossible and even if he did catch the thing, feeding from it would be his next challenge. Damon decided to follow it to find out where it lived and what it ate. After several minutes, his little mission paid off. The tree the creature landed in looked much different than the others and it seemed to yield some kind of yellow-looking fruit.

The baboon-looking creature pulled a yellow ball from the tree and took a huge bite out of it, almost eating the entire fruit in one bite. Damon didn't know what it was, perhaps he was delirious, going crazy, or he was becoming suicidal, but he leapt up into the tree and landed not five feet away from the creature.

The animal looked at him and he looked at it. "You're not afraid of me." He whispered astoundingly. The stare off lasted for another two minutes before the animal became bored with Damon and then took off.

He decided to follow it a little longer to see what else it ate. After watching the animal for over an hour, Damon rushed back to the first tree. He liked the smell of the yellow fruit the most.

Damon took of his jacket and grabbed some of the fruit from the tree, placed a few pieces of the mysterious lovely-smelling food in his jacket, and took to the ground again. He searched around a little longer, finding more fruit of different shapes, sizes, and textures and finally stumbled upon a small lake. He grinned from ear to ear as he rubbed his hand feverishly over his mouth with excitement.

Finding the water was almost like finding gold. He knew there was no way Bonnie could live much longer without it and he wasn't ready to be without her. He made sure his jacket was tied securely and made his way back to Bonnie.

Back in the cave, Bonnie had woken up soon after Damon left. She paced worriedly for hours, nothing but morbid thoughts running through her mind. She imagined Damon being pulled from the cave and eaten. She then envisioned him searching for food and being accidentally impaled. So much had happened to all of them in the last few days in Mystic Falls that one couldn't help but always think the worst.

"Heads up!" Damon yelled and then swung his jacket over his head, throwing the provisional backpack roughly into the cave. It missed Bonnie by inches. He jumped inside and stood at the cave entrance smirking proudly at his accomplishment as he rested his hands on his hips. Bonnie beamed immediately, flashing him a dazzling smile. She ran to him, swinging her arms around him.

"Thank god you're okay!"

Damon stood paralyzed, astounded by the warm reception as he held his hands in the air not sure of what to do with them. He quickly wrapped his arms around Bonnie as he closed his eyes. He partially smiled as he rocked her in his arms. He didn't know why, but it felt good being wrapped in her embrace. Being accepted by Bonnie Bennett made Damon feel like he had arrived. If she, an angel, could care about him, how could he not feel special?

"So, what did you get?" Bonnie pulled away from him, rudely jarring Damon back to the present before she rushed back to the food.

"Uh…uh…uh." Damon stuttered. He hurriedly shook himself back to reality and then rushed over to Bonnie to inspect the fruits with her.

"Okay…let's see what we have." He dragged out as he kneeled down in front of the produce.

"I saw some weird primate looking thing eating on this one, but I don't want you to eat any of it until I taste it first. I need to make sure it's not poisonous." He explained.

"Poisonous? But what if it is and you die?" Bonnie widened her eyes in horror.

"I'm a vampire sweetheart. I'll just come back to life," Damon said nonchalantly.

"No, Damon, what if it kills you, kills you?"

"Then, I'll be dead." Damon mocked.

"Damon." Bonnie grunted, leaning her head to the side as she gave the man an annoyed look.

"Don't worry, Bon Bon. It's cool. Be cool." Damon tried to ease her mind.

Bonnie nodded and Damon picked up one of the yellow fruits that he picked from the tree and then bit in to it. He chewed on it slowly before swallowing. He looked at Bonnie seriously, not flinching or moving a muscle. He then grabbed his neck and began to choke.

"Oh God, I'm dying." He strained.

"Damon! Damon!" Bonnie panicked.

But he could no longer keep up the act. He burst into a fit of laughter and Bonnie started beating him across the back.

"Really, Damon." Bonnie huffed.

Damon continued to laugh as he laid on the floor grabbing his gut. "Oh God, you should have seen the look on your face." He sobered as he propped himself upon his elbow.

"Don't talk to me for the next hour." Bonnie hissed.

"Awwww, don't be that way, Bon Bon."

"Give me this damn fruit." Bonnie snatched the fruit away from Damon and then took a big bite of it. "Wow, it's really good." She chewed greedily.

"You will also be happy to know that I found a tiny lake, too. We can clean the meat out of this fruit and use it to bring you back some water." Damon suggested as he pointed to a large oval shaped fruit with black thick skin. It felt as hard as a rock. If he hadn't seen the animal eat it he would have never guessed it were edible.

"Is it edible?"

"The animal ate it so I'm going to go with yes." Damon answered.

Bonnie ate her fill before they left the cave to gather up water and wood and anything else that would make the cave more comfortable.

"Are we almost there?" Bonnie asked.

"Yes, it's just a few more yards up." Damon answered.

"Have you fed?" Bonnie asked.

Damon squinted in thought; his back was to Bonnie. He couldn't quite understand why she cared so much about his wellbeing, but it made him smile. He never thought in a million years that she would care about him. It was comforting to know that someone other than his brother and Elena cared about whether he lived or died.

His thoughts quickly went from Bonnie caring for him to more negative ones, like Bonnie only caring because he was the muscle. She couldn't make it on this planet alone, so of course she wanted to make sure he was well fed. He rolled his eyes. "Okay, we're here." He stated unemotionally, his thoughts manipulating his once happy demeanor.

"Oh wow." Bonnie beamed. "It's beautiful, Damon." Bonnie looked at him and smiled. All her beautiful pearly white teeth on display.

Damon looked at her with a scowl, her smile immediately instigated a much more pleasant disposition and his scowling appearance was soon one of yearning and affection. Bonnie sighed nervously under his intense, intimidating gaze. They stared at each for a moment, Bonnie's face childlike and Damon's one of desire.

He was so oblivious to what he was doing. Bonnie bashfully cut her eyes away and then walked towards the water. Damon's eyes traveled with her. She kneeled and dipped her fingers down in to the lake. The vampire quickly regained his senses, his protective instincts kicking in instantly. He didn't trust anything with Bonnie unless he had a trial run at it first.

"Be careful. We don't know what lurks beneath." Damon wiggled his eyebrows at Bonnie, a smirk flashing across his face.

Bonnie looked back at him before snatching her fingers from the water.

"Well, are you going to taste the water, today, or wait until I die of dehydration?" Bonnie joked.

Damon moved over to the water and dipped the shell of the black fruit down into it before taking a big gulp.

"Ooh, wow. Delicious." He closed his eyes and licked his lips.

"Give me some." Bonnie rushed out.

"Wait, wait. We need to boil all the impurities out first before you drink it." Damon warned.

"This water looks gorgeous. There is nothing wrong with it," Bonnie said in frustration.

"You're not drinking the water until we boil it. Now help me collect some wood."

"Ugh." Bonnie grunted.

They spent the better part of the day collecting materials for the cave. Damon even made a rope out of vines to help carry up Bonnie's water. Growing up in the early 1800's came in handy.

While Bonnie collected some of the large leaves that grew on a rather weird looking bush, Damon decided to hunt for something to feed on. He ran into his little friend, again. The creature seemed to take a liking to Damon. He was sure if it was the exact same beast as before because it had the same scar across its cheek, in the same place.

The vampire finally lucked up and found one of the creatures that tried to befriend Bonnie two nights ago. The animal moved slowly about the ground. It was two feet long and about five inches around. It had no eyes but it had antenna. It was similar to a snail or a leech. Damon didn't want to feed from the thing but it was his only option, that or desiccate which would make him of no use to himself or Bonnie. He finally decided to take action, but sadly, this animal was faster than the blink of an eye.

It could sense the vibrations on the forest floor. As soon as Damon's foot hit ground the creature took off. It was gone without a trace.

"Fuck! Fuck!" Damon shouted and kicked a tree.

He looked to the tree and his other friend was still there. "What the hell are you looking at?!" Damon yelled. The creature didn't flinch.

As Bonnie collected items for their cave, she thought about Damon and giving him her blood. She stopped in the middle of what she was doing as her mind went back to the night he attacked her. She swallowed hard and rubbed the side of her neck where Damon had bit her.

She'd never been so afraid in all her life. Seeing Damon flash to her with his red eyes and long fangs made her shiver. She then perked up a bit. He had found other sources to supply himself with the things his body needed so he really didn't need her blood. She sighed in relief.

"Are you ready?" Damon came marching up on Bonnie, a scowl on his face.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, why?" He halted, turning quickly to her and pushing his brow into his forehead.

"You seem angry?" Bonnie asked worriedly.

"It's nothing. I just can't stand the taste of the creatures, here." Damon lied and then forced himself to smile.

"Well…maybe you could…," Bonnie stopped mid-sentence. She didn't want to open that door. The thought of Damon feeding on her not only frightened her somewhat, but she was afraid that she might like it, and it would make things for them really awkward once they found a way back home.

"Yeah, what is it?" Damon squinted his eyes in thought. He was hoping that Bonnie would plead with him to feed from her. He was so ready for her to open up that door so he could apologize to her and promise to be gentle with her. "Bonnie." He called sweetly to her again, trying to coach the words out of Bonnie's mouth.

"I was going to say that maybe we'll get lucky and you'll run into some different animals." Bonnie said hesitantly.

"Yeah," Damon slightly nodded. "Maybe I should scout a little further out," he said disappointedly.

"Well we better go. It's starting to get dark." Bonnie swung her makeshift backpack over her shoulder and swiftly walked passed Damon en route to their cave.

Damon stared out into the forest with a wounded look on his face before following her.

::::::

Later that night, Damon built them a nice small fire in the center of the cave. He didn't want to make it too big because of the heat it generated, but it was enough to give them a little light and to boil Bonnie's water. The shell of the black fruit was perfect for heating it up. Bonnie sacrificed her cell phone so that Damon could make a blade with the parts, and they both built up a nice pallet on the ground with the leaves they collected, using their jackets for pillows.

They remained quiet for the better part of the evening, and spent most of the night staring at each other and making their little cave a temporary home. Bonnie smiled, all the while, and hummed to herself as she cut up her fruit on a large piece of bark from one of the trees. Damon was inventive and had worked so hard to make life comfortable for them.

The little woman sat up against the cave wall and ate while Damon watched. She became nervous under his gaze, immediately stopping and putting her food down beside her.

Damon cocked a brow curiously. "What's wrong?"

"You're staring." Bonnie murmured.

"My bad." Damon held his hands up in his defense before crawling over to their produce to count it.

Bonnie was amused. "What are you doing?"

"I'm bored." Damon widened his eyes hilariously at Bonnie's question.

"Have you tried this purple fruit?" Damon asked.

"No, it's too cute to eat."

Damon pushed his brow in to his forehead as she giggled her amusement.

"It's too cute to eat? I'll have to remember that one. Well, I'm going to try it, make sure it's safe for you." Damon replied.

"Okay," Bonnie nodded.

Damon rinsed the fruit off with a little water and then took a small bite of it. "Hmm, it's pretty good," he said and then sat back up against the wall. They both sat quietly for a nice, long, pleasant moment.

Bonnie went back to eating her food and Damon continued to eat the fruit, and the more he ate the blurrier his vision became. "Oh, wow." Damon shook his head and blinked his eyes rapidly trying to shake off the weird feeling.

"Hey, hey, try this," Damon said, slurring his words as he crawled drunkenly over to Bonnie.

"Uh…are you okay?" Bonnie looked at him oddly.

"Oh yeah." Damon wiggled his eyes. "Here, just eat it; eat it Bonnie." Damon all but pushed the fruit in to her mouth.

"Oh, my God. Are you high?" Bonnie stated in a high-pitched voice.

"Only, only a little." Damon pushed his finger and thumb together showing Bonnie how intoxicated he was.

"I am not eating that." Bonnie argued.

Damon glared at Bonnie. "You have always been a little uptight bitch." He stammered for the words.

Bonnie gasped. She crawled quickly to the produce and grabbed one of the fruits and took a big bite of it. She then took another and Damon did the same. Fifteen minutes later Bonnie was feeling woozy and her vision was blurred.

"Who's the uptight bitch, now? You dumbass?" Bonnie stated through gritted teeth.

"Oh, my God. You are so violent," Damon said unbelievably.

The fruit not only made them high it began to lower their inhibitions, forcing them to reveal their deepest desires, the thoughts running around in the four corners of their minds.

"I'm never going to see Jeremy, again." Bonnie cried.

"I'm never going to see Elena, again. I want to have sex with her." Damon stated in a shaky voice.

"You two have sex a lot?" Bonnie asked.

"Yeah, she's not good in bed. She's a selfish lover, but it's Elena." Damon answered.

"Jeremy's not good in bed either," Bonnie said sadly.

Their conversation suddenly took a turn for the worst.

"Jeremy is a lying, cheating dog. I should have killed him when I had the chance." Damon stated coldly.

Bonnie's mouth went ajar. She stared at Damon before getting to her knees and slapping him with all of her strength across the face.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Damon yelled as he jumped to his feet.

"You tried to kill me!" Bonnie screamed before tackling the unsuspecting vampire. Damon went flying into the wall. He pushed Bonnie away from him by her head and held her at arm's length as she swung wildly at him.

"I saved your life! Stop punishing me!" Damon shoved her to the floor.

"Everything you've done for me was for Elena! I've saved all of your lives over and over again, and none of you even care if I died!" Bonnie screamed at the top of her lungs.

"I brought you back to life for _me!_ You are so damn ungrateful! You are no saint, Bonnie!" Damon shouted back, his face flushed with anger as spittle shot from his mouth.

"Elena is not your light! She hasn't changed you! She's a selfish bitch and you care more about her than your own brother!" Bonnie jumped to her feet, shouting, her eyes moistened with anger.

Just as soon as their anger started, it stopped.

Bonnie looked at Damon vacantly and began laughing. She dropped to the floor, grabbing her gut and Damon followed. They laughed violently for over ten minutes for no apparent reason as the fruit played with the chemicals in their brains.

"Why are we laughing?" Bonnie asked, trying to sober herself.

"I have no idea." Damon laughed. "It hurts. It hurts." He rocked his body on the floor, trying to work out the pain in his abdomen before crashing back to the wall.

A different feeling began to work its way over them. Bonnie felt hot and flustered. She pulled off her blouse and quickly crawled over to Damon and straddled him.

"I've always wanted you." She panted in his face as she feverishly touched his lips. "Don't you want me? Please say you want me?"

Damon quickly rolled Bonnie onto her back and ran his hand feverishly over her face and rubbed his thumb roughly over her lips, pulling at them with such passion and force as Bonnie rotated her hips feverishly underneath him.

"I want you so bad. I want you, Bonnie. I want you." Damon's voice weakened as his eyes moistened. He drifted down to Bonnie for a kiss and before his lips could touch hers, they both passed out.

When they came to, it was the next day. Damon was the first to wake, again. He saw Bonnie and himself shirtless and he freaked. All he could remember from last night was counting produce, everything else was a blank. He spotted two of the half eaten purple fruits lying in the dirt.

"Ugh." Damon growled at it before throwing them out of the cave. He hurriedly put on his shirt and then Bonnie's.

She moaned a little but he was so quick that she went easily back to sleep. He picked her up and laid her down on her leaves after removing the plate of fruit from her provisional bed. He then gathered up the remainder of the fruit and stood at the edge of the cave to throw all of it out as far as it would go.

Damon instantly began to wonder what had happened between him and Bonnie. Their pants were still on, so he was thankful for that. The last thing he wanted to do was cheat on Elena. But he still couldn't shake the fact that something happened. He wanted to know so badly, needed to know. Then he wondered why he needed to know.

If they shared a passionate kiss or if they declared that they loved each other because of some poisonous fruit, then so what. How would that change anything? Damon laughed hilariously in thought. There was no way Bonnie Bennett could love him, and the only woman for him was Elena, because no other woman could.

Damon scratched his head, then looked back at Bonnie before slowly walking over to her. He kneeled down and without thought he threaded his fingers through her hair, and then trailed them down her face. He smiled as he caressed her.

"God, you are so beautiful." He whispered. The words had escaped his lips but he never knew that he felt that way.

She began to stir, moaning and then snapping her head to the opposite side. Damon flashed away from her and back to the edge of the cave.

"Oh, my God. Why does my mouth taste like I've been eating sewage." Bonnie sat up slowly and looked out into the cave, still tired.

"You alright?" Damon smiled as he turned around to her.

"Ask me after I've had my morning coffee." Bonnie snickered. Damon laughed.

"I'm going hunting. You need anything?"

"I'm good, but thank you, Damon." Bonnie got up and walked towards him. "I mean, thank you for everything. I don't know what or how I would have managed without you." She declared sweetly as they stared in each other's eyes.

"No need to thank me." Damon answered softly.

Bonnie swung her arms around his neck and squeezed him tightly to her. Damon quickly returned the embrace before rubbing the back of her head tenderly. He pulled away and took her by the shoulders.

"I'm going to build you a shower." Damon winked.

Bonnie grabbed her chest, astounded, her mouth ajar.

Damon leapt from the cave and landed on his feet. He looked back up and waved at Bonnie before flashing away.

::::::

A month later, going by Damon's watch, he still had not fed. He was incredibly weak. His skin had turned a greyish color and his lips were cracked and dry. But he kept up the act that he was feeding, and Bonnie wanted to believe this because she, too, like Damon, was afraid. They still had not expressed those fears to each other.

Besides Damon's feeding problem. Things seemed to be going quite well. They still hadn't run in to any hostile animals or people, but they hadn't really explored too far away from the cave, either.

Damon's little friend still followed him. There were some days when the animal sat on the forest floor not five feet away from him and watched while Damon worked on Bonnie's shower. It was taking him much longer to construct it than he thought. The fact that he couldn't function because of his unbelievable hunger was solely to blame.

"Damon, have you fed, today?" Bonnie asked uneasily as she sat on her leaf bed trying to make a basket out of twigs and vines.

"Uh, yeah." He answered. "Um…um." Damon cleared his dry throat as he rested on his own bed.

"If you're feeding, then why does your skin look so lifeless?" Bonnie stated disbelievingly.

"I think it's the animals on this planet. Once I find something different to feed on I should be okay, but I do feel strong." He smiled at her.

"Well, maybe…" Bonnie's suggestion for him to feed from her was right at the tip of her tongue, but the binding fear and guilt that dwelled in her kept her from making that giant leap forward and doing what was necessary to help both her and Damon.

"Maybe what?" Damon asked in a weakened voice.

"Maybe you should…you should venture further out." Bonnie blasted herself in thought. Why was she being such a wimp?

Damon looked at her with sad eyes. "Yeah, I will. I better go and work on your shower." He smiled and then got to his feet and walked slowly to the entrance of the cave.

"Damon," Bonnie quickly got to her feet. "Please, hurry home, and take care of yourself."

Damon nodded and then leaped out of the cave. He stood frozen once his feet hit the ground. He felt like passing out, but he couldn't do it in front of the cave. He flashed away from the rock face and this time he ventured out further than he had ever been since they had taken refuge in the cave.

This part of the forest was much thicker. The trees were more beautiful. Here he found more of those primates, and they didn't seem to mind him being in their territory. He finally spotted his friend. He had just arrived. Damon smiled because he was sure that the creature had been following him.

Damon kept going. He didn't stop. He had to feed. He had to. Sadly, he was down to his last drops. He stopped abruptly; he fell against the tree. "No. no." His eyelids became heavy as his body drifted down to the ground.

Back in the cave, Bonnie paced the floor frantically. Damon had been gone for hours. There was no way to tell how long, but night had fallen. In this moment, Bonnie could swear that she heard her grams blasting her for her behavior. Bonnie grabbed a stick and the makeshift knife.

She bravely climbed down the rock face. Once on the ground, she stared out into the night. She sighed as she closed her eyes and ran as fast as her feet would carry her. She was thankful for the three moons hanging in the sky.

They gave her the much needed light to make her way through the forest on a trail that she and Damon had traveled many times before, another thing she felt grateful for. Bonnie had run for over two hours, frantically looking for Damon. She stopped dead in her tracks, forcefully grabbing her hair and then hit the ground.

"Grams, please! I need you!" Bonnie cried. "Damon!" She screamed. "Damon, I need you! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! Please, be okay." Bonnie violently cried in the middle of the forest, spittle shooting from her mouth, and liquid dripping from her nose as she bawled her eyes out. It wasn't all about being alone. It wasn't only about needing Damon. There was something deeper driving her to find him, to save him.

Back on the other side of the forest, Damon was fighting to stay awake.

"Bonnie." A tear escaped his left eye and rolled down the side of his temple and in to his ear. "Bonnie, I need you. Please." He pleaded.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: This chapter has been newly edited (as well as one and two) replaced, and some changes have been made. I hope you enjoy!

Songs that inspired this chapter: Diamonds by Rihanna and Brave by Sara Bareilles.

**Oblivion Chapter 3: The Darkness Inside. **

"Grams, please! I need you!" Bonnie cried. "Damon!" She screamed. "Damon, I need you! I'm so sorry! Please, be okay." Bonnie fell to her knees and cried violently in the middle of the forest, bawling her eyes out. It wasn't all about being alone. It wasn't about needing Damon. It was something deeper driving her to find him, to save him.

Back on the other side of the forest, Damon was fighting to get mobility of his body.

"Bonnie." A tear escaped his eye and rolled down his temple and into his ear. "Bonnie, I need you. Please." He pleaded weakly.

Bonnie continued to cry, defeated and alone. "Gram's…please." She pleaded again.

_Bonnie._ A voice called to her.

"Grams, is that you?" Bonnie whispered to the wind. She looked around her, not seeing anyone, but she could feel Sheila's presence. Bonnie had no clue whether it was her mind simply given her what she needed or was as it really grams.

_Bonnie Bennett, you are stronger than this. You are a Bennett. A Bennett witch never gives up. _

"I'm not a witch. I'm nothing."Bonnie cried as she continued to sit pathetically in the middle of the forest.

_I said get up! Your friend needs you. You need each other. _The voice echoed more loudly.

"Okay." Bonnie nodded. "Okay." She sobered as she used the long stake to get to her feet.

As Bonnie collected herself, her salvation came by way of a primate. It was Damon's huge friend who finally decided to make an appearance.

Bonnie screamed at the top of her lungs when she saw the massive creature. The primate snarled and grunted at her.

"Go away! Get away from me!" Bonnie screamed as she swung her weapon madly at the animal.

The creature had finally had enough of the woman's riotous behavior. It stood erect, over eight feet tall, towering over Bonnie. It pounded its chest viciously before kneeling in front of her, causing Bonnie to back away from it in fear.

Bonnie stumbled, landing flat on her back, her mouth agape, and her eyes like saucers.

Once the animal had her attention, it jumped up and down and then galloped a few feet off before turning to her and jumping up and down, again, and dashing around in circles.

"What are you trying to tell me?" Bonnie whispered intriguingly.

As Bonnie lay on the ground, watching the creature peculiarly, the wind began to whistle through the trees. She could swear that she heard her grams once more telling her to follow the animal as she watched the tree limbs blow in her direction.

Bonnie got to her feet, picked up her weapon, and stared at the animal. It slowly galloped away once seeing it had the human's attention; Bonnie swiftly followed. The animal looked back to see if Bonnie was following him before leaving her sight all together. Once the creature knew that she was there and pursuing, it ran faster, making it impossible for Bonnie to keep up.

Damon lay paralyzed in the grass by a tree. He could hear something coming upon him. He hoped with all his heart that it was Bonnie, but what he heard rustling in the bushes sounded much larger than his tiny friend.

The animal let out a low guttural growl. Damon closed his already heavy lids. He could hear the beast snorting and grunting. The beast was now upon him. It nudged his face with its nose. The creature then began sniffing the vampire's face, its hot heavy breath and its slobber dripping down onto Damon. He was glad, in this moment that his body was fully desiccated.

The creature's foul, smelly breath was a mixture of blood and feces and it made him want to puke. The beast bit down into his arm with its razor sharp teeth, sinking them deep into his cold, soft skin.

Damon's eyes widened in horror. He hoped like hell the thing didn't see his rapidly blinking eyes or the slightly trembling lump in his throat as his body involuntarily tried to push out a shrilling cry.

As Damon lay lifeless, the creature mauling his arm, he heard more movement and her—_Bonnie_— calling for him. He began to panic. He tried to twitch his finger. He then tried to lift his body to no avail. He'd be damn if this thing got Bonnie. _Fuck! Fuck!_ He wanted to die. He'd rather die a thousand deaths by fire than hear whatever this thing standing over him would do to Bonnie.

_God please. Please protect her. Bonnie, run. _Damon thought, hoping he could magically deliver his message to her. His mind went on alert again. He heard a different grunt, that of an ape's. Bonnie was talking to a creature, it was his friend. _Thank God!_ The beast that stood over him snarled and growled lowly. Bonnie and his friend had piqued its interest. Damon heard the creature take off, back in to the bushes.

_I have to warn them, _he thought_. Fuck! Fuck!_

"Damon! Oh, God!" Bonnie was finally there and astounded by what she saw as a look of horror flashed across her face.

She skid across the ground on her knees, quickly scanning Damon's body. She picked up his mauled arm. She was horrified.

"What did this to you?" she whispered fearfully. Her warm tears splattered onto Damon's cool cheek as she caressed his face with her thin fingers. Her tender touch made him forget all about the danger that lurked in the bushes a few yards away.

Damon opened his eyes and tried to speak to Bonnie.

"Damon, I'm so sorry. I want you in my life. You're my friend and you mean the world to me." Bonnie declared in a shaken voice, her eyes glassy from tears yet shed.

He would have welcomed the great Bonnie Bennett caressing him and spitting out her sonnets any day of the week but not now.

"Bo-," He tried painfully with everything in him to call to her as his eyes shifted fitfully around. He blinked and tried to swallow. "Bo-." Nothing but a peep escaped his voice.

"It's okay." Bonnie tried to calm him as she rubbed her fingers over his chest before feeling around in her jacket for the makeshift knife.

Damon's animal friend began to jump and roar loudly, warning them and distracting Bonnie in the process. It stood to its massive eight feet, taking a defensive stance.

The large, ominous black creature with ten-inch razor sharp claws and razor sharp teeth lunged forth from the bushes. The mighty primate tackled it to the forest floor and they went tumbling down the small slope.

Bonnie was rendered speechless by what she saw before going swiftly to work to get Damon to safety as she continued to fiddle around for the blade. She was clumsy in her rush to cut a jagged gash in the palm of her hand. Damon's eyes widened as the black veins instantly began to swim across his face at the smell of her blood.

Bonnie placed her hand to Damon's lips. The thick crimson liquid flowed into his mouth and down the back of his tongue. The little blood sitting at the top of his throat gave him just enough strength to get out a few words.

"Do you trust me?" Damon struggled painfully to say.

"With my life." Bonnie answered as she met his gaze honestly.

Damon gently stroked Bonnie's right upper thigh with his finger. She cuddled him to her and pushed his head towards her neck. Damon was too weak to properly latch onto her and siphon her blood. He opened his mouth just wide enough to timidly lock onto her neck and bit into her soft, warm skin. Bonnie winced when his fangs pushed through, fisting his shirt just above his shoulder as he began to suckle on her like a newborn nursing from its mother.

Damon slowly took in a pint of her blood, and once strong enough, he moved to a sitting position and cradled Bonnie's head in his hand, keeping her neck exposed. He gazed into her eyes. Bonnie smiled and rubbed her fingers over his cheek. Damon looked at her neck and trailed a finger over his bite marks before snapping his attention to the woods. The creatures were too close for comfort. He looked back down to Bonnie's deep green irises.

There was no time for him to enjoy this. He sank his incisors deep into her neck, again, taking more of her blood. Bonnie closed her eyes and pulled at his shirt as her blood left her body, but not once did she fear the worst; not once did she believe her life was in danger as she smiled and moaned weakly at Damon's soft, wet lips pulling and tickling at her skin while his fingers gently massaged her warm neck.

Damon had taken two pints of her blood before he noticed that Bonnie was on the brink of passing out. The vampire tore into his wrist and pushed it to her mouth.

"Come on, Bon Bon." He smiled.

Bonnie frowned as she drank the metallic liquid. She was like a baby being forced to take her medicine. Damon chuckled as he gently pulled his closing wound away from her mouth. "Are you okay to stand?" Damon took her by the shoulders.

Bonnie nodded and he flashed to a standing position before sweeping her up into his arms.

"What are you doing?" Bonnie protested.

"I'm getting us the hell out of here before that creature comes back," he spat.

"We can't leave that ape behind. He led me to you. He saved our lives Damon. Don't," Bonnie pleaded.

Damon looked at her drolly. If this had been his girlfriend Elena she would have been happy to run off, go home, and have sex, but not Bonnie, and not even _Stefan's_ girlfriend Elena.

Damon leapt up into the tree next to them and sat Bonnie down on a branch.

"I want to help you."

"I know, but I can't concentrate on killing this thing if I'm worried about you, too. Understand?" he said.

Bonnie nodded.

Damon jumped out of the tree and looked back up at Bonnie.

"Be careful," she said sweetly.

Damon smiled. He grabbed Bonnie's large stake and then flashed away.

It didn't take long for Damon to find the two titians going head to head in a shallow creek. Damon decided to watch and wait for the perfect opportunity to strike. He cringed when he saw the damage the large black cat with six legs had done to his friend. He never knew he cared or perhaps it was because Bonnie cared that he finally decided to take notice of what the animal had done for them.

It was then that he was able to empathize with this creature which seemed to be very intelligent, highly aware of its surroundings, and more compassionate than him, a humanoid and highly emotional vampire.

The perfect moment had finally presented itself.

The large panther-looking creature was on his hind legs mere inches from killing his friend. Damon flashed to the beast, and plunged Bonnie's long stake so deep into the center of its chest that it went through and out the other side of the monster.

The animal roared loudly as it came crashing down on its front paws. It staggered from one side to the other before collapsing onto the ground. It let out three gurgling gasps before taking its final breath.

The primate hit the ground with a resounding thud next. Damon turned to the creature and flashed to its side.

"Hey, buddy." Damon smiled as he gently rubbed the animal's arm. His eyes quickly glanced over the animal's torn limb, the bloody red gashes in its head, and the flesh hanging from the gaping wound on his belly. It wasn't even the same species as his brother but seeing it there severely wounded and at the brink of death made Damon think about Stefan. He sighed deeply, trying to shake the image of his dead brother from his mind.

"You saved Bonnie's life. I owe you." Damon bit in to his hand. He held his fisted bloody appendage over the primate's mouth and squeezed it tightly. "I hope this works," He whispered as drops of his blood dripped like a faucet into the creature's mouth. The animal whimpered through his laborious breaths.

Damon could see the minor wounds began to heal. "It's working." He chuckled unbelievably. He bit into his hand again, giving the creature more of his blood and watched as the animal continued to heal.

Bonnie, still in the tree, heard the vicious roaring; and then it suddenly stopped. It worried her immensely, but she held fast to her faith that everything would be alright.

An hour later, Damon came flashing back to her and his little friend came soon after.

"Oh, thank God!" Bonnie mindlessly leapt out of the tree and Damon was there to catch her.

The animal looked at Bonnie and Damon for a while, an affectionate look on its face.

"Thank you," Bonnie said, and no sooner than she spoke those words the animal left.

"Hey man, she said 'thank you!'" Damon spat.

"Damon." Bonnie warned.

"Kidding."

"Come on, let's go." Bonnie grabbed Damon's hand, interlocking her fingers with his, and just like the night they were brought to this world, they looked down nervously at their clasped hands and then back at each other with that same 'I would go anywhere with you' look..

Bonnie quickly looked away and pulled at his hand and they walked through the forest with nothing but the light of the three moons on their backs.

"I think your friend knows we're not from this planet," Bonnie said.

"You think so?" Damon cocked his brow at her.

"Well, yeah. He keeps watching over us."

"I think it's your grams." Damon smirked.

"You would." Bonnie frowned.

"What's so wrong with that?"

"My grams wouldn't be an ape; she'd be a fairy," Bonnie said sassily.

Damon let out a hearty laugh. "Ah, a fairy. Got it."

"It's probably Stefan." Bonnie rushed out mockingly.

Damon laughed. "Oh, my God, that is Stefan. It's so like his ass to watch everything I do." He laughed and Bonnie followed.

They continued in silence but Damon couldn't let go of the things Bonnie had said to him when he was incapacitated.

"Those things you said before you gave me your blood." He paused and looked at her. She continued to stare straight ahead. "Did you mean what you said about wanting me in your life?"

Bonnie was silent for a moment, before admitting, "Yes." She stopped and they turned to each other. "If and when we return home, I want the same thing," Bonnie said seriously. "You're my friend, Damon."

"I want the same thing, too." Damon smiled as he took Bonnie's hands into his. "Besides…I've been dying to get you drunk." He wiggled his eyes.

They snickered, then sobered, but continued to stare affectionately at each other. In a month's time, they went from frenemies to the best of friends. They supposed they were best friends all the time, but they never had a chance to connect and sort out their feelings.

As Damon ran his thumbs tenderly over the back of Bonnie's hands, he began to feel a powerful wanton urge move over him. He wanted more than to merely rub this woman's hand. He wanted a physical and intimate contact with her.

Damon could no longer fight what he was feeling. He wrapped his arms around Bonnie and massaged her back lovingly. His cool hands initiated a warm sensation inside of her. He squeezed her closer and tighter to him. He'd longed to hold Bonnie this way for so long. He closed his eyes as he gently rocked her from side to side.

Before pulling away, he rubbed his cheek tenderly against hers, closing his eyes and getting lost in the moment. Damon gently grabbed her by the neck and pushed her cheek to his lips, planting sweet, loving, wet kisses against her cheek over and over again. Bonnie held him to her and smiled as he continued his loving, tender ministrations.

They were both so starved for something as simple as touching and caressing, for affection. Being in a place like Mystic Falls didn't allow one to cuddle for too long before things went awry. This moment was heaven to them, a luxury they couldn't afford back home.

Damon finally pulled away. He looked at Bonnie in a way that was so profound and dangerously beautiful.

Bonnie smiled and massaged his chest, and then his face. She then ran her fingers through his hair, starting with the front of his head, slowly working her way down to the back of his neck, linking her fingers around him. Damon, in turn, snaked his arms around her waist.

"What are we doing, Damon?" Bonnie asked in a daze.

"We're celebrating. I'm alive; you're alive, and we're together." He replied in a low husky voice, just above a whisper.

"I wish I could have danced with you at my prom," Bonnie said.

"Dance with me now. This place is _so_ much more beautiful than your prom."

"It's more dangerous, too." They laughed, and quickly sobered as they rocked gently from side to side to the sounds of the wind whistling through the trees and the various other sounds of nature.

For the first time ever, Bonnie could see stars in Damon's crystal blue eyes. He was happy, and it was because of her, and nothing pleased Bonnie more.

:::::

Stefan turned off his humanity which made it easier for him to slip back into his ripper lifestyle, losing Damon was too much to bear. Losing Elena was one thing, but losing his brother who had been a part of his life on and off for the last one hundred and seventy plus years was another.

Even though Stefan had turned off his emotions, there was this small part in his soul that was reserved for finding Damon. No matter what state of mind he was in, the love he had for his brother was always that little bit of humanity he couldn't shake.

Stefan had just finished killing two other innocent victims. This time it was two college roommates. He carefully placed the young men's heads neatly on top of their necks. He stared down at what he had done without even flinching. He continued to ignore all of Caroline's calls. Killing was an art for him, and his art didn't need to be interrupted. It took time to do what he did, and besides, the last thing he needed was Caroline finding out about his old, now new extra-curricular activities.

After putting the bodies back together he ran home, but not to the boarding house. His new home, a place where his brother had never been. He needed a fresh start, a place where there weren't so many reminders of Damon laying around.

He hurriedly showered, because if anyone knew Caroline, and he did, she would surely be there soon, checking in on him and being the caring friend that she had always been.

He was in and out of the shower in minutes, and surprisingly, the woman still hadn't made her grand appearance.

He walked into the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of bourbon from the bottom cabinet. There was no need to pour it in a glass. He preferred drinking straight from the bottle these days. Stefan hurried to the living room, his body still moist and his hair still wet. He tightened his towel around his waist, plopped down onto the couch, and then collapsed back against it.

He placed the bottle to his lips and turned it up, downing the amber liquid in minutes.

"Fuck!" He rushed out when his cell phone vibrated on the coffee table. It was Caroline –again.

He snatched it up because the last thing he wanted was for her to come to his condo and jump down his throat about where he'd been. It was easier to hide behind a phone call.

"Hello, Caroline."

"Where the hell have you been? I've been calling you all day and night."

"I was taking a nap." He grinned.

"You're lying, Stefan."

"Maybe." He shrugged.

"Stefan, it's been a month."

"Caroline, are you telling me that a month is too long for me to mourn over my brother?"

"No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying that you need to hang out with your friends and try to have a normal life. It'll be good for you." She pleaded.

"No, what I need to do is find a witch to help me get my brother back."

"Stefan, the Other Side collapsed, and it took Bonnie and Damon with it."

"I heard Sheila in the forest, talking to Bonnie. She did something. Bonnie and Damon are alive somewhere in this universe or maybe in another, but they're alive; and if you were really my friend you would help me, or maybe you just don't care enough about my cause because Damon is my brother."

Caroline sat on the phone for a moment not saying anything. "Stefan, I'm sorry that you lost your brother, your only family member, but you seem to be forgetting what he did to me, and you also seem to be forgetting that I played Damon and Elena's personal cheerleader because you felt like your brother being with Elena would change him, and it didn't. Pretending I was okay with them dating went against everything that I believed in, and if that didn't prove to you how much of a friend I am to you, then I don't know what will."

Stefan hung his head. For a moment, he couldn't believe it himself—that he had encouraged Elena to remain in an abusive relationship with his brother.

He had been blinded by his love for his brother for so long that he had ignored all the horrible things he had done to Andie, Caroline, and even to Elena when she was in her right mind.

"I'm sorry, Caroline. I know that wasn't easy for you to do. Thank you." He declared, showing a bit of his humanity.

"Don't thank me, Stefan, just come hang out at my house tomorrow night with the rest of the gang. Okay?"

"Will Elena be there?" he asked.

Caroline went silent again. "Yes, but she's a total mess. She acts like she's in withdrawal. It's scary. Do you think she's still sired?"

"I don't know, but she sure does act like it." He paused. "Okay, I'll come by." Stefan hung up without saying goodbye.

::::::

After their sweet slow dance, Damon and Bonnie went back to their little cave. It was home, for now.

Damon built their little fire, and they sat in the cave watching each other. Something was different but neither one of them wanted to acknowledge it, because one day they would return home, it was inevitable.

They both knew that Stefan and Elena would do whatever they could to bring them back, and once home, they would be reunited with the love of their lives. What they did here and now could make things awkward back home, so they had to ignore the burning desire they felt welling up inside of them whenever they knocked down one more wall that inevitably exposed something more about themselves to each other.

"Good night, Damon." Bonnie was the first to crack under the pressure.

"Good night, Bonnie," Damon said just as sweetly as he watched Bonnie snuggle in to her thick, leafy bed.

Damon laid down, but he couldn't take his eyes or thoughts off Bonnie. Knowing she had his blood and he had hers made him nervous, partially because if something happened to her she would be his little vampire, made by his blood; and two, a part of him was inside of her and it sent delightful chills up his spine.

"Damon." Bonnie called with her back to him.

"Yeah," he answered as he stared at the back of her head.

"Will you lay beside me?"

Damon widened his eyes at her request. His tongue froze, and he was suddenly at a loss for words.

"You don't have to if you don't want to." Bonnie stated, embarrassed. She took his silence as a 'no' answer.

Damon slowly crawled across the cave and lay down behind her. He snaked an arm over her waist and Bonnie threaded her fingers through his.

"Are you afraid?" Damon asked gruffly.

"No, I'm lonely. I miss Jeremy. Do you miss Elena?"

"Yeah," he replied.

"Do you think what we're doing is wrong?" Bonnie asked.

"No…I don't think it is. We're two friends comforting one another." Damon's voice was still husky, low, a hint of nervousness coming through. "There were times in my life, before I came to Mystic Falls…I was so lonely. I was out there in the world, sleeping with women I didn't want, pinning over Katherine, but deep down I wanted a friend, someone like you. This feels nice, Bonnie."

Bonnie giggled softly as she lay on her bed with one arm folded underneath her head.

"I heard that, Bon Bon. I can't believe you're making fun of my pain." He smiled.

"I'm not making fun of your pain. I never thought you wanted a friend. Elena told me you didn't want to be her friend when you two broke up," she explained.

"Friendship with Elena would be so one sided. We're so much alike. Hell, we can barely be lovers. How in the hell could we be friends?" Damon laughed in thought.

"Wow." Bonnie gasped.

"What?" Damon raised his brow confused as he rubbed Bonnie lightly on her arm.

"To hear you be so upfront about your relationship with Elena."

"It's easy to be myself with you."

Bonnie smiled. "It's easy to be myself with you, too."

"Good." Damon replied.

"Why do you think we ended up here? In a whole other galaxy, a whole other Earth?" Damon asked, mystified.

"I don't know. Maybe she got the spell wrong, or maybe this was the only place that we could go that has a natural celestial event that's powerful enough to sustain our life force."

"Mmm, well, this place is definitely weird."

"This place is definitely beautiful." she added, ignoring Damon's cynicism.

"Those nasty looking slug creatures. That freaky looking panther, and the weird ass looking fish."

"The trees are so beautiful. The flowers smell so wonderful, and talk about those three big beautiful moons." Bonnie gushed.

Bonnie and Damon continued to babble about their new surroundings, ignoring each other's disdain and admiration for new Earth.

"The insects are ferocious. It rains too much and it's too damn hot!"

"Mmm, I love the way the sun shines and the smell of the lush green grass in the air."

"Are we talking about the same planet?" Damon chuckled and Bonnie followed.

Damon squeezed Bonnie a little closer to him as he closed his eyes relishing. He was beginning to feel even more comfortable and happy with her presence in his life. "May I hold you?"

"I would like that," she replied happily.

Damon cuddled closer to Bonnie, wrapping his strong arm around her. He squeezed her to him before kissing her 'good night' on the cheek.

::::::

Morning came quickly. Bonnie and Damon decided to spend the day by the lake to soak up the sun rays and enjoy the beautiful day.

Bonnie was desperate to participate and help make new things for their home. She worked diligently on her twig, leaves, and vine basket all day whilst Damon worked on their shower. He had successfully gathered up all the vines he needed and now he was working on something that would hold enough water so that it would pour down over Bonnie like a waterfall.

He too was ready for a full shower. Using their socks to wash their bodies from bowls they made from the husk of the black fruit was no picnic, but they were grateful for it all the same.

Their ape friend even came out to play. He brought them tons of fruit and even nuts. They were both impressed with the animal's communicative skills and how he picked up on their needs and wants.

"Screw it, screw this!" Bonnie threw her little project to the ground enraged by her inability to make a basket.

"Calm down," Damon said with a chuckle as he walked to the basket. He picked it up off the ground and then sat down next to Bonnie. "Let me show you."

"No, I'm done with it." Bonnie pouted.

"The Bonnie I know doesn't give up. Now, watch me."

Bonnie turned to Damon, still pouting. She watched him carefully as he bent the rubbery twigs around and then tied them off with a little vine. He did it slowly a few times more before handing the project back off to her.

"Okay, do you think you can do it?"

Bonnie nodded.

Damon took her hands into his and they did a few together, their hands mingling and touching all the while. Bonnie's heartbeat quickened and her palms began to sweat. She was aware of Damon's touch now. He made her feel alive.

Unbeknownst to her, Damon was equally affected by their closeness. His hands were clammy, his mouth was dry, and he felt nervous. Why now, did she have this effect on him? He wondered.

"You think you can do it now?" He asked looking down at her.

"Uh…yeah. Yeah, I think I can do it." Bonnie nodded nervously.

Damon cleared his throat. "Wow, my mouth is dry? Yours?" He asked as he looked at her oddly.

"Have some tea."

Damon laughed. "What?"

"When you were out one day, I squeezed some of the juice from the yellow fruit into some hot water. It's pretty good." Bonnie jumped up and grabbed one of their little bowls that was filled with hot water. She squeezed some of the juice from the fruit into the water before given it to Damon to try. She sat back down beside him and waited for him to taste it.

He took a sip and then another. "This is pretty good, especially on a hot ass day like today." He smiled.

"Well, I'm glad you like it." Bonnie laughed.

Inevitably they began to watch each other, and the longer they did, the more nervous Bonnie became under Damon's intimidating and yearning gaze.

Ever since the night that Damon went missing they weren't able to sit and not touch each other.

Damon overlapped his hand with Bonnie's and squeezed it gently. She placed her hand over his and rubbed the back of it tenderly, and just like magnets they began to drift into each other.

Damon tilted his head right and Bonnie tilted her head left, and just as their lips were about to touch, their animal dropped a very living fish smack dab in between them.

"Shit! Shit! Damon dropped the hot tea to the ground as he jumped to his feet. Bonnie hopped up screaming and jogged in place.

The animal jumped up and down excitedly in response to the both of them.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Damon shouted at it.

The creature ignored Damon and dived back into the water.

"Oh, my God, there's fish in this water!" Bonnie gasped. She quickly overcame her fear when she stared down at the odd looking fish, still a tad bit scared of it.

Damon easily forgot his anger, too, and grinned at the delicatessen happily. "I'm going for a swim." He hurriedly removed his jeans and shirt. Bonnie widened her eyes nervously at his nicely-shaped legs, the bulge in his underwear, and his broad chest.

"You don't know what's in there?" Bonnie chimed hesitantly, trying to take her mind off his body.

"Fish are in there, which means the boogeyman isn't. Now come on." Damon smiled and dived into the lake.

Both of them had forgotten that they had almost kissed not moments ago.

Bonnie took off her blouse, shoes, and jeans.

The entire world stopped spinning when Damon looked at her body. His eyes were glued to the jiggle in her thighs and her rounded, plump bottom right down to her well-toned legs and her cute little toes. His eyes hurried back up to her breast and over her washboard abs.

Bonnie seemed to move in slow motion as she ran towards the lake and then dived into the cool water.

"This feels wonderful!" Bonnie laughed as she splashed water in Damon's face.

He still hadn't come back to reality.

"God damn, Bonnie, you're hot!" Damon stated seconds later in disbelief. He couldn't believe that his brain had relayed to his mouth what he was thinking. "Wait? What?" He stated unbelievably. "I shouldn't have said that. That was so inappropriate." He stammered mindlessly for the words.

"Ehm…and how so, I am hot!" Bonnie laughed and then splashed water in his face once more.

Damon rolled his eyes at his conceited friend and splashed water back at her.

They frolicked around in the water, him chasing her. He would catch her and then lift her up out of the water and dip her back down before diving underneath to tickle her little feet.

Bonnie didn't mind Damon's accidental and innocent touches; like, when his covered member brushed up against her bottom and when his hand would lightly rub her breast. It was heavenly, forbidden, but it felt so right. She felt so alive in this moment, playing with her friend.

Damon didn't seem to mind Bonnie's touches either. Whenever her breast would rub up against his hard chest or when her hand would accidentally touch his partially hardened and sensitive shaft he welcomed her touch.

Their little water sports went on for most of the day, and they had completely shirked their chores whilst their pet continued to work hard to collect them food. They forgot all about the unfinished shower that still hadn't been completed or the basket that needed to be weaved, and more importantly, they hadn't thought much or at all about trying to get home.

"Oh no." Bonnie tilted her head to the sky, allowing the light drizzling rain to shower down onto her face. "It's raining. Boo." She pouted.

"Aww, now, now, come here." Damon reached for Bonnie as he wade in the water.

She slowly swam to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Damon snaked an arm around her waist and brought her warm body to his. Bonnie laid her cheek against his shoulder, a smile on her face, her eyes closed.

Damon fanned his free arm around in the water and twirled Bonnie slowly around in the center of the lake.

"Do you feel protected?" He asked in a low, seductive voice, his cool lips against her warm cheek.

"I feel protected, but not from the rain." Bonnie let out a light chortle and Damon followed with a hearty laugh.

::::::

"Stefan!" Caroline beamed and then took him into a warm embrace after opening the door for him. "I'm so glad you made it."

"Yeah, whatever." Stefan sassed.

"Stop it." Caroline giggled. "Hey everybody, look who's here!"

"What's up, Stefan?!" Matt chimed as he ran over to his friend. He gave him a quick brotherly hug and patted him on the back.

"What's up, Stefan?" Tyler gave him the one-nod.

"Hey, Stefan. We miss you around here." Jeremy smiled from the sofa and then took a swig of his beer.

"Hey, everybody. No need to stop what you're doing for me." Stefan smiled politely.

"Where's Elena?" Stefan whispered to Caroline.

"She's in my room." Caroline rolled her eyes. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"Bourbon." Stefan answered. He glanced around the room. Everyone eased back into what they were doing before he came, all except for Tyler who still had him on his radar.

Stefan walked over to him and leaned against the kitchen entrance. Tyler took a swig of his beer, holding the vampire's gaze.

"Is there something you want to say to me?" Stefan asked.

"Nope." Tyler flashed him a forced grin. He watched Stefan for a minute and then broke their awkward silence. "Did you hear about those brutal murders in Bratsville?"

"No, I haven't heard, but I have a feeling that I'm about to." Stefan smiled. He really didn't need to hear about murders that he had committed.

"An entire family was killed in their own home. Two teenage boys, their mother, and their father. They were drained of all their blood and dismembered, and in the next town over the same thing happened to this couple who was returning home from grocery shopping." Tyler stared Stefan square in the eyes as he explained to him about the recent string of murders outside of Mystic Falls.

"Wow, Tyler, I had no idea that you liked looking at the news." Stefan smiled sinisterly at him as he cocked his head to one side.

"There's a better way, Stefan," Tyler said knowingly.

"A better way for what?" Stefan maintained his poker face.

"You know what the hell I'm talking about." Tyler spat.

"Here's your drink." Caroline chimed just in time.

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes." Stefan flirted with Caroline and Tyler frowned.

"Hey, Stefan." A raspy voice called to him from across the room, it was Elena.

Stefan turned to look at her. He forced himself to smile. He really hadn't talked to her since Damon died. She was too much of a reminder of all the horrible things that had gone wrong with his relationship with his brother. Somehow things with him and Damon became all about Elena and not them, and for the first time ever, he hated it.

"Hey." Elena was now standing in front of Stefan. "Where have you been?"

She didn't ask him how he was or how he was holding up but where he had been, like he owed her an explanation of his comings and goings.

"Home, that's where I've been." Stefan replied politely.

"Well, you could have at least called me. I've been miserable. I needed you." Elena hissed.

"Really, Elena," Caroline spat.

"Elena, calm down." Tyler huffed.

"Elena, you're not the only one here who's lost somebody. Stefan lost his brother. We lost our best friend, Bonnie. Remember her?" Matt explained frustratingly.

"Who saved all of our asses by the way," Tyler added.

"Bonnie is a witch. That's what she's supposed to do. Save us!" Elena shot back.

"Bonnie wasn't a witch. She was the anchor, and if you would have taken your nose out of Damon's ass, you would have remembered that. She died bringing me back to life _-for you_," Jeremy said angrily, turning beet red in the face.

"I loved Bonnie; she was my best friend, but friends come and go, but not the love of your life. Damon was my life; he was everything to me, and if Bonnie had remotely cared about me she would have brought him back first and not Alaric." Elena whined, becoming hysterical.

"Well, maybe if you hadn't blown yourself up, she could have saved him instead of saving you. Committing suicide with Damon? Really, Elena? What a senseless and dumbass thing to do," Tyler said before downing the rest of his drink.

"Damon needed me." Elena shot.

"No, _I_ needed you." Jeremy stated.

"I'm out of here," Matt said disappointedly as he frowned up at Elena.

"Right behind you man." Tyler followed Matt out the door.

Elena's friends and Jeremy began to file out of the house one by one. They had enough of this Elena.

"Wait! Wait!" Why is everyone leaving? This was supposed to be a time for us to come together and try to heal!" Caroline pleaded.

"Sorry, Caroline, maybe next time." Jeremy grabbed his jacket and slammed the door behind him.

Elena stood in the middle of the room pathetically, not even understanding what was happening.

"Are you happy, now?" Caroline hissed angrily to her friend.

"Well, looks like the party is over," Stefan said emotionlessly. He put down his glass and headed for the door.

"No, Stefan, you can't leave. I need you." Elena whined as she threw her hands out to the side of her.

"...and why do you need me?" Stefan laughed amusedly.

"Because you're my friend."

"Umph, you mean the friend that you spent all day long with and then told your boyfriend that you had the _worst_ day ever, after?"

"Stefan, I can't help the way I feel."

"What the hell happened to you, Elena?" Caroline asked with a look of horror.

"There's nothing wrong with me, Caroline." Elena answered rudely.

"Yes, there is. You're not my friend. You're not the girl that I met in grade school. You're a fucking bitch, and what's worse is that you don't care about the fact that you ripped out Stefan's heart, and just when he was beginning to get better he lost his brother. All you care about is the dick you're not going to be getting from Damon, and what about Bonnie, and all the selfless things she has done for you? She died so that you could be happy and you don't even care! It should have been you that died, not Bonnie!" Caroline said heatedly and Stefan let out a hearty laugh.

Elena raised her hand to strike her friend but Stefan caught it mid swing and shoved her to the floor. "Get the fuck out," Stefan said coldly.

"Stefan, this isn't you," Elena said

Stefan flashed to the front door and held it open for Elena.

The jealous, selfish, and self-absorbed woman got to her feet and slowly grabbed her things and left.

"I'm so sorry, Stefan," Caroline said somberly.

"Don't be."

"What do we do-," Caroline was cut off when Stefan held his finger up to her to hold her train of thought.

"Hello."

"Hello, Stefan"

"Who is this?" He asked.

"Oooh, only the woman you tracked down and forced to call you."

"Lucy Bennett." He paused. "I need you."

"Let me guess—to help you bring back your brother? Well, the answer is no, but I will do whatever I can to bring back Bonnie." Lucy answered nastily.

"Do you really think Bonnie will leave my brother behind, because if you do, then you don't know Bonnie Bennett," Stefan said confidently.

"I'm listening." Lucy huffed, annoyed.

"Where are you?" Stefan grinned into the phone.

"Why? Are you going to be my escort?"

"Can I?" He flirted. "Can I take you for a drive, Lucy?"

"You're a boy. I need a man. Now grab a pen and paper and let's see if your vampire mind can keep up."

"I like 'em sassy." He smiled.

Lucy snickered and then rattled off her location. Stefan hung up and smiled. He placed his phone into his pocket and looked at Caroline.

"That was Bonnie's cousin, Lucy?"

"No, it was Mother Theresa." Stefan shrugged as he flashed her an absurd look.

"Stop being an ass," Caroline said, annoyed as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Stefan smiled. "I'll catch you later." He opened the door and Caroline quickly closed it. She grabbed him by the back of the neck and placed a hard kiss on his lips, letting their lips linger before pulling away.

Stefan shifted his eyes around perplexed. "What was that for?" He asked, bemused.

"I couldn't help myself," Caroline said innocently, her face childlike.

"Caroline, I'm not in my right mind. I _will_ take advantage of you." Stefan warned as cocked his head to the side with a dangerous, smoldering glance.

"What if I _want_ you to take advantage of me?" She asked seductively.

"You need to make things right with Tyler. Now, I have to go." Stefan quickly left the house. He stopped mid stride to his car when he heard a voice call to him.

"Hello, Stefan."

Stefan rolled his eyes and then slowly turned around. "What the fuck do you want, Enzo."

"Oh, the same as you. To get Damon back."

"Jesus Christ, what's up with you? Were you and my brother fucking or something? You're clingy. Go away."

"I'm going to let your little comment slide since you're hurting just as much as me over Damon, but he was like a brother to me, and I want to help so, stop being such an ass. You know you could use the muscle, unless you rather I tell Damon's flaky dingbat girlfriend what you're up to, and we all know how much you enjoy her company." Enzo smiled shadily.

"Fine. Get the fuck in the car and keep your trap closed."

Enzo smirked as he hopped into the car, and Stefan sped off.

::::::

Stefan and Enzo sped down the highway, music at deafening levels. Stefan popped his fingers to the beat against the steering wheel and Enzo laughed hilariously at him. "What the hell are you laughing at knock off version of my brother?"

"I could use a snack." Enzo answered as he smiled cunningly at Stefan.

"I'm not Damon. We're not lovers, and I don't need someone to hold my hand while I feed." Stefan grinned.

"Well, at the next motel we see, you mind if I quench my thirst?"

"Sure." Stefan drawled.

An hour later, they were parked outside of a rundown motel. Stefan watched as Enzo worked his way into the room of a man and two women.

He didn't want to be around Enzo. He was Damon's friend, and he liked to do things on his own, but he craved blood like the body craved oxygen, and now that he was no longer with Elena, and maybe no longer in love with her, he was back to needing blood like the human body needed water.

He dazedly climbed out of the car. He looked around to see if anyone was watching. The coast was clear, so he flashed up to the room.

He knocked timidly on the entrance. Enzo swung the door wide open and smiled at Stefan as blood dripped from his mouth and down his chin.

"I knew you couldn't resist, mate." Enzo stepped aside, allowing Stefan entry.

Black veins swam fitfully across Stefan cheeks, his eyes bloodshot red. He growled lowly as he parted his lips, showing his perfectly extended incisors. He flashed into the room and went right to work on the brunette.

"Now we're having some fun." Enzo grinned and then closed the door.

::::::

Damon and Bonnie kicked off their night by the fire. He cooked the fish given to them by his animal friend for dinner. It was the best meal they'd had since being on the planet. They ate in silence for the better part of the evening, but it was hardly awkward, it was peaceful and comforting.

"Damon, you should try the juice of the yellow fruit on your fish." Bonnie suggested nonchalantly.

"What is it with you and the yellow fruit?"

Bonnie reached over and squeezed some of the juice onto Damon's fish. He looked suspiciously down at the fish as she seasoned it with the juice from the fruit. He grabbed a small piece of the fish and popped it into his mouth. He chewed slowly as he nodded his head questionably about the flavor. Damon then looked at Bonnie. "En." He waved a hand lazily in the air.

"You're crazy. It's delicious."

"It'll be even more delicious once it mingles with your blood." Damon wiggled his eyebrow at her.

"Oh hey, I have a surprise for you." Bonnie placed her food down onto the stump and grabbed some leaves sitting on the ground. She wrapped and tied them around her waist, covering her cute satin black panties. Damon licked his lips with anticipation as his eyes ran down over her caramel skinned legs. He sat at the edge of the stump, fully alert with his elbows resting on his knees, holding his food securely in hand.

"Don't tell me you're going to strip for me. What kind of best friends are we?" Damon laughed.

"I'm not striping for you, _Damon_. I'm providing you with entertainment." Bonnie shook her head. "Okay, you ready?" She smiled like a little girl.

Damon held up his thumb as he nodded, pushing his bottom lip into his top one as he squinted his eyes at her.

Bonnie began dancing the hula. She moved her hips with grace as she waved her hands in the air from side to side. Damon was quite impressed with her rhythm and how she waved her tummy and wiggled her little hips.

Damon Salvatore was completely mesmerized by Bonnie Bennett as he watched her dreamily.

He was already feeling so many things for and about Bonnie lately, but now she was sending some major feels to his lower region as she danced seductively in front of him.

Though Bonnie was heavy on the left side of his mind, Elena was still sitting very heavily on the right.

The desire and tenderness he felt for Bonnie right then rapidly turned into feelings of despair and guilt as his mind slipped off into a very dark place.

Here, Damon was in a completely different world and beginning to feel one way about another woman whilst so easily forgetting about the woman he had committed selfish, deceitful, and reckless acts to have, back home.

He broke his brother's heart because he wanted to win and make him feel every bit of the pain he felt when Katherine left him and declared her love for the man he wanted to hurt, his brother.

After Damon had succeeded at getting everything he had wanted, it wasn't epic, loving, or sweet. It was sick, toxic, and twisted, but now, here he was, left with this sickening feeling in his gut. Now, here Damon was, left with this guilty sense of obligation to stand by the woman he had won, because he had ruined everything for everyone involved including himself.

"Well, you like the entertainment?" Bonnie asked, taking Damon away from his very own personal hell, his mind.

"Best damn entertainment ever." Damon smiled, his mind still an enigma of thoughts.

"If it was so great, then why do you look so sad?" Bonnie asked, annoyed as she placed her hands on her hips and pushed out her knee.

"I'm not sad, Bon-nie." Damon answered ridiculously. "I'm tired." He got to his feet and put his makeshift plate down on the tree stump. He walked over to a clean spot in the lush green grass and lay down. He propped his head up with his forearm, crossed his ankles, and gazed up at the sky.

Bonnie watched him carefully before walking over to him. She lay down beside him and crossed her ankles, overlapped her hands on her belly, and stared up at the sky, too.

"Shine bright like a diamond. Shine bright like a diamond." Bonnie broke out in song.

"Oh, my God." Damon laughed. "She dances, she sings." He looked over at Bonnie, grinning.

"You know you like that song. I know Elena made you play it over and over again in your car."

"Ugh." Damon rolled his eyes knowingly, annoyed by her comment.

"Shine bright like a diamond." She continued to sing.

"Stop singing that song." Damon protested playfully.

"Why, because it's not Radiohead?!" She shouted. "So, shine bright, tonight, you and I-," Bonnie continued to sing.

"Diamonds don't shine, Bonnie, they sparkle!" Damon spat and then laughed.

"Oh, what the hell… We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky." Damon joined in.

"Eye to eye, so alive, we're beautiful like diamonds in the sky." They sang together.

"Aww, how sweet." A deep sinister voice came from out of nowhere, rudely interrupting them.

Damon quickly got to his feet and Bonnie followed. They were surrounded by twenty buff men with various different kinds of weapons.

Bonnie looked around for their animal friend. He was lying lifelessly on the other side of the lake. "Oh, my God. What did you do to our friend?!" She spat in horror.

"Relax. Your friend has been drugged. He will be fine."

"Who the fuck are you?" Damon questioned coldly with a glowering gaze.

"Peyak, is this the man you saw healing the Pongidae?"

The tan man nodded quickly.

"Take him." The mahogany leader demanded. He was a handsome man with a beautiful lean swimmer's body and a neatly trimmed beard. His attire was brown pants and a brown vest made out of animal skin, his shoes leather boots.

The armed men rushed Damon all at once, but he wouldn't go down without a fight. He ripped out one of the men's hearts easily, instantly making the situation worse. Things escalated quickly, forcing Damon to reveal his true identity. He tossed men into trees, broke arms, jaws, and head-butted the heads of a few unlucky foes, but these men were resilient and fought effortlessly through their pain.

Bonnie screamed at the top of her lungs for the men to stop as she pulled fitfully at her hair. She felt powerless and defeated by what was happening to Damon, but there was no way she, a mere girl, weighing a little over a hundred pounds could do to help him without risking her own life.

One of the armed men lunged for Damon's heart with his blade, and the leader warned him to take him alive. Damon took advantage of the distraction and ripped out the man's heart.

The leader finally had enough of Damon's insolence. He walked swiftly over to Bonnie. He snatched her roughly up into his clutches, folding an arm roughly behind her back, and then placed his blade to Bonnie's neck, drawing a little blood.

Damon was instantly distracted by the smell. He extended his incisors and growled as black veins spread rapidly across his cheeks.

The men swiftly subdued Damon. They wrestled him to the ground, pushed his chin into the dirt, and roughly fisted his hair.

"Now that I have your attention-," the leader stated through gritted teeth. "You can either _behave_…or I will slice this bitch's throat from ear to ear."

Damon looked into Bonnie's fearful eyes, his mouth twisted in anger. He scanned over her face, his eyes lingered at her quivering lips. Damon's appearance softened. It wasn't about him anymore, it was about Bonnie. She timidly nodded at him, pleading for to him to surrender.

"I'll go with you, if you let her go." Damon offered.

"Damon, no!" Bonnie protested at him going alone.

The leader tightened his grip on her folded arm. "You're hurting me." Bonnie cried.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. See… _she_," the man pressed his lips against Bonnie's cheek. "…keeps you in line. You so much as look at me wrong." He slid his finger across his neck and smirked.

Damon immediately locked his glassed-over worried eyes with Bonnie's. They had conquered one close call only to be ensnared by another.


	4. Chapter 4 Listen to Me

A/N: This chapter has been newly edited, replaced, and some changes have been made. I hope you enjoy!

**Oblivion Chapter 4: Hear Me**

"Let him up. Gather your things, hurry." The leader rushed his men, Bonnie, and Damon.

Damon snatched away from the massive-looking men. He walked slowly over to his things, and Bonnie did the same.

"Are you okay?" Damon asked, reaching down for his stuff as he looked over at a frightened Bonnie.

"What do you think they're going to do to us?" Bonnie whispered, frenzied.

"Don't be. If they wanted us dead, we'd be dead. I think they want my blood." He explained.

"But why?"

"I guess to heal their people. Maybe there's some kind of plague overwhelming their home."

"Stop the chit chatting and get your things!" The leader bellowed.

"We're going as fast as we can!" Bonnie snapped. Damon smirked at her brashness.

The leader laughed off Bonnie's rudeness and went back to chatting it up with his friend.

"Do you think he will be okay?" Bonnie asked of their animal as she stared worriedly at the creature.

"I don't know. I don't hear a heartbeat." Damon explained sadly. He looked over at the animal with sorrow. The creature had done so much for them since their short time on the planet. He hated to see his life end because of him.

"What did you do to my animal?" Bonnie shot him dagger eyes eyes. He outburst took Damon away from his thoughts.

"You're creature should be fine in a few days. He's only asleep," he said coolly. He was actually smiling; he was quite a handsome fellow. Bonnie took her wandering eyes and thoughts about the mahogany man and shouted at him again.

"He better be okay, or I will…I will-," Bonnie instantly remembered that she was powerless. Damon wrinkled his brow. He so desperately wanted to finish her sentence as his lips slightly moved with hers.

"Or you will do what, gorgeous?" The man flashed her a sexy smirk.

"I will kill you," Damon said coldly, staring him straight in the eye.

The man looked at Damon for a moment and without so much as a warning he shot Damon in the leg with an arrow.

"Damon!" Bonnie squealed.

"Ahhh, you little shit." Damon grunted as he dropped to the ground in pain. He snatched the arrow out of his leg and Bonnie gently rubbed the spot above the wound in Damon's upper thigh, just ticks away from his manhood. Damon quickly straightened his brow. Bonnie's gentle touch made him tingle inside, and he immediately keyed in on her gentle touch, forgetting all about his pain.

Bonnie pushed her wrist against Damon's mouth after kneeling in front of him so that the men couldn't see him feed from her.

She looked at him, her green eyes saddened by his pain. Here he was, a mere vampire. He would heal and be perfectly fine, but Bonnie seemed to be extremely concerned over what Damon considered to be a minor injury.

Bonnie continued to stare into his pale blue eyes. Damon gave her a childlike look as he bit into her wrist, still watching her eyes as he fed from her. She smiled once he finished. They both had forgotten all about the armed men just yards away as green eyes gazed into a sea of shimmery blue ones.

Damon glanced down at his teeth marks in her tiny wrist. he couldn't bare to see one scratch on her. He bit his finger and slowly extended it up to Bonnie's mouth, placing it against her lips. She took his digit into her mouth, enveloping him. She closed her eyes as she sucked and licked the metallic liquid away from his finger. Damon's lips formed an 'O' as he was seconds away from moaning his oh's and ah's.

"Hey! Hey! Let's go!" The leader yelled.

Bonnie jumped, startled by the man's thunderous voice. Damon was still in a daze. He watched her hurriedly put on her shoes, trying to wake from his daze.

The guards rushed over, snatching Damon to his feet. They tied vines tightly around their wrists and lead them over to the horse-looking creatures like dogs on a leash.

Damon could easily escape from the restraints, but his need to keep Bonnie safe was way more important than his need to show off his power. He decided to be a good boy.

Soon they were underway, traveling by the moonlight and the men's torches.

They had walked for over an hour, being tugged roughly by the horse riders. Damon kept a close eye on Bonnie and she did the same with him. He wasn't at all happy about her having to walk in her three inch heels even though she had done it pretty well their first day on the planet, but this time was different, because she was being forced to do it, and when they strolled around the forest looking for shelter, they took lots of mini breaks along the way.

"Are you okay?" Damon asked. He smiled wanly at Bonnie who had beads of sweat covering her forehead.

"Yeah, you?" She asked, a crease in her brow.

"I'm not happy about our predicament. The last thing I wanted was for you to get hurt." Damon explained stoically.

Bonnie could see the concern in his eyes for her, realizing that she didn't like to see him sad or hurt either. She wanted to bestow on him the same kindness that he had shown her since being on New Earth when they faced such austere situations.

"I'm sorry, too. Maybe if I didn't make you sing Rihanna's song you would have been more alert." Bonnie smiled and Damon let out a short chuckle.

"Maybe so." He continued to smile. "I'm going to get you a ride." Damon stated.

"No, it wouldn't feel right for me to ride on one of those…," Bonnie shook her head oddly at the horse-looking creature. "…things while you walk. You've done so much for me, Damon, and maybe it's time I start doing something for you."

Damon smirked. "Bonnie, you have been saving my ass from the moment I arrived back in Mystic Falls. Let me do this for you?" He had the most determined look on his face.

Bonnie's eyes began to moisten from the ecstasy she felt in this moment because of Damon's sweet words, but there was no time to be emotional. They were in a situation and she had done plenty of crying already.

"Thank you, Damon," Bonnie said, acknowledging his kind words and efforts. She gave him a sweet smile.

Damon soon became lost in her emerald eyes. He was truly thankful to all the Gods for his vampire vision in this instance. He never imagined since meeting Bonnie that he'd be mapping out all the stars in her eyes.

After walking for another hour, the riders stopped.

"What…what…what are they doing?" Bonnie stuttered and was growing frantic of the unknown.

"They're stopping for a break." Damon answered unsurely, his brow furrowed as he watched them with a scrutinizing gaze. He hoped with every fiber of his being that he was right. Here was yet another moment that made him glad for one of his other vampiric gifts.

"We'll set up camp here and wait for dawn to head out again. Give the outlanders some water. Make sure you restrain them securely. I don't trust the male to behave. I'm sick of his insolence." The mahogany man issued out his commands and his right hand man went quickly to work.

Damon smirked. He was relieved that he was right about the men wanting to take a break.

A pale man rushed right over. He pulled roughly on Bonnie's knots and the move angered Damon.

"Hey, you idiot. You're being too rough. Is that necessary?" He hissed.

The man stepped in front of Damon, towering over him, and growled in his face. He was tempted to compel the man to kill himself, but knowing Bonnie was there made him rethink his instinctive sadism.

He was actually weighing his options with Bonnie; but oddly, when he was with Elena, he didn't think about options or choices. As he glared at the man something that Bonnie had told him long ago drifted into his awareness.

"_**There's always a choice, but when you make one someone else always suffers."**_

Here he was, at a time like this, remembering Bonnie's words as they echoed loudly at the forefront of his mind.

"Be nice. Treat her like the queen that she is." Damon compelled with a smirk.

Bonnie's eyes widened; her jaw dropped, astounded by Damon's comment.

The man stepped back in front of Bonnie. He cut off her restraints. This time he was gentlier. He even went so far as to massage her wrist.

"Do you need a foot massage?"

Bonnie giggled, looking at Damon. "I'm okay."

Damon proudly grinned.

Bonnie's newfound friend had fetched her some food, water, and made sure that she was as comfortable as possible before he was called away. After they were done eating and drinking, two other guards tied Bonnie and Damon with their backs to each other and far away from the group.

The leader was being inconspicuous by seating Bonnie and Damon several feet away from them as they discussed their plans, not realizing Damon could hear every word they spoke.

"This isn't good, Bon Bon." Damon frowned.

"What are they saying?"

"Apparently-," Damon cut his eyes to see the side of Bonnie's face as he slightly leaned in to her. "They want to use my blood during battle to heal their warriors."

"Oh, my God." Bonnie whispered in horror. "Damon you have to warn them about what your blood will do to them if they die."

"…and how am I supposed to do that without giving away my other secret weapon?" He widened his eyes absurdly at her suggestions.

"Ugh…just do it, Damon. It doesn't matter now. They know you're different from them which is why we're in this situation. You can either tell them or be prepared to fight hundreds of others like yourself or worse…hundreds of people will die because of your blood."

"Do you always have to be right?" He rolled his eyes, annoyed with Bonnie. "Hey! Dumb ass!" he yelled to the leader.

"Damon." Bonnie warned.

"Hey, dumb ass! Come here!"

Bonnie sighed loudly, grumbled and complained about his rude behavior.

The leader looked over at Damon with a scowl. He summoned to the guards to bring them over. They undid their restraints and rushed them over to the one in charge. The guard pushed Damon to his knees. He snatched away from the man and growled at him.

"What the hell are you yelling about?" He paused as he looked around to his friends. "Dumb ass." They laughed at Damon.

"When you and all of your friends wake up on fire, after your so called great battle because of my blood, we'll see who's the dumb ass, and you're the only dummy I see on this entire God forsaken planet," Damon said coldly as he glared the man down.

The leader flashed Damon an evil look before pulling out his dagger and pouncing on him. He pinned Damon to the ground and pushed his knife into his neck, causing Damon to bleed.

"Let him go!" Bonnie jumped to her feet.

"Sit down!" A guard pushed her back down to the ground.

"Oh look, your girlfriend is angry. Let's see how she likes this." He raised up Damon's shirt and ran his sharp blade down his peck to his stomach, cutting him.

Damon loudly grunted through the excruciating pain as the knife cut through his soft pale skin like butter. "You didn't think I'd notice, but I see that your wound from my arrow has healed. Let's see how quickly you come back from this," he said sinisterly.

"I said let him go!" Bonnie screamed. This time when her anger flared, so did the small fire; her rage caused the flames to explode and a gusty wind to blow across their campsite.

Everything soon became eerily quiet. The group and Damon looked all around them as if they could hear something coming. After five long minutes of silence and looking around with worried faces the leader looked at Bonnie and smiled.

"Not only are you beautiful, but you have magic." His focus was now on Bonnie. "Did you create him?" He walked over to her, pushing his face into hers.

"No." Bonnie looked him square in the eye.

"You lie. You created him and you will do the same for my men."

"I will never lift a finger to help you. You can rot in hell," she spat.

He gripped Bonnie tightly by the neck. Damon became unhinged at the sight of the man hurting her. He threw his bond wrist over the man's head and choked him with the vines.

"Get…get…him off of me." He flailed his arms widely around as he struggled to break free. The soldiers overtook Damon by piling up on top of him with all of their strength.

The leader panted and clawed at his neck, fighting for air.

"Come here, girl. I warned you to be a good boy, didn't I?" The leader roughly grabbed Bonnie by her arm, pulling her away from the camp, but she fought furiously against him. Damon tried to break away from the guards but it was useless.

"Get your fucking hands off of her! I will kill all of you!" Damon yelled, red in the face.

"Get off of me!" Bonnie screamed repeatedly.

The man stopped dead in his tracks. He turned Bonnie around to Damon. He cupped and squeezed her cheeks tightly together, incapacitating her voice. "Is she special to you?! Does she not mean shit to you?! Is this not your woman?! Are you going to protect her?!" He screamed, a sadistic look in his eyes, goading Damon.

Damon looked into Bonnie's scared emerald eyes, almost coming to tears, and Bonnie had never seen his blue eyes look so afraid.

"She's my woman! She's special to me! Now let her go! Please! Please!" Damon shouted pleadingly. He was afraid and it took a lot to make Damon afraid.

He stared at Damon for a bit and then walked Bonnie back over to him and pushed her down into his arms. Instincts and something deeper in Damon called beseechingly to him to wrap his arms around Bonnie, so he did. He rocked her gently in his arms, kissing her forehead as he caressed her back.

Bonnie figured Damon's spewed words were empty and only a tactic he used in hopes of freeing her, but after the leader had pushed her into his grasp, she knew that his words weren't a mere scheme or a strategy. Damon meant them, every one of them, at least the part where she was special to him.

"If you want to keep her safe you'll do best not to antagonize me again. I'm in no mood for games or your smart ass mouth." The man glared, and Damon flashed him an icy look in return. "Now that you have my attention, tell me this story about your blood?" The leader was now calmer as he sat back down beside them.

"What are you, Bi-polar? I'm not telling you shit." Damon spat. He didn't take threats well. "You scare the hell out of my woman and then you expect me to help you."

The man stared at Damon, annoyed, "Look, I won't hurt your woman, but I won't apologize for what I did. I have a family, and it is my duty to protect them and my people."

"Damon." Bonnie called to him, giving him a pleading look. She hoped his anger wouldn't keep him from speaking up about the dangers of his blood, but Damon wouldn't budge on the matter.

"His blood may heal your people, but if they die in battle, they will wake up as something else, and they'll never be able to walk in the sunlight again," she explained with a grim look on her face as she pushed herself away from her protective covering.

"Don't believe her, Tupac. They will say anything to keep us away from his healing abilities."

"Whoa…your name is Tupac, and your surname?" Damon asked through a timid chuckle, forgetting he was angry and what had happened to him and Bonnie not moments ago.

Tupac looked at them oddly. "Shakur." He answered.

Damon and Bonnie whipped their heads around to each other and then burst into a fit of laughter.

Tupac continued to look at them oddly and then became angry all over again. "Hey! Hey!" He got to his feet, yelling. "You don't dare mock me! That was my father's name, and his father before him!" He angrily pounded his chest.

They tried with everything in them to stop laughing but the coincidence was all too much for them to handle,.

"I said stop it!"

"Okay." Bonnie tried to snuff out her rude cackling.

"You both lie about his blood. You two are full of tricks. Cheyenne, Peyak, tie them up." Tupac demanded.

"Tupac, we are not lying to you. My blood is dangerous for you and your friends. Please don't do this." Damon pleaded seriously.

"Your words mean nothing to me. I said take them away."

The guards secured them to a tree. After the men left, Damon got on to Bonnie.

"Bon Bon, why didn't you stop me from asking him his last name?"

"His name caught me off guard," she replied excitedly.

"Shit, they'll never believe us." Damon rested his head against the tree and Bonnie looked at Tupac and his men worriedly. Bonnie and Damon began to dread what would come next.

:::::::

Stefan and Enzo had finally made it to Lucy's, and they left a trail of dead bodies along the way. Stefan never remembered feeling so good. The entire mess with Elena, Damon, and then Damon dying had really played a number on his way of life and his entire state of mind.

Deep down Stefan wondered why he wouldn't just let Damon go. His brother needed to suffer for all the hell he had put him through while he was alive, but he couldn't phantom the idea of Damon being dead.

Even without his humanity he still felt like a part of him was missing, and it was Damon. He smiled as he envisioned a world where just he and his brother existed and the Petrova's didn't. The only person that had a successful relationship with a Petrova was Silas, a man that wore his face.

Stefan grunted hilariously at the irony of it all. The doppelganger spell was a curse. Amara and Silas love definitely didn't transcend time and space. All the spell did was create confusion and pitted brothers against brothers whilst endangering every living being that shared their face.

_Maybe old Tom was Elena's true soul mate._ _I killed the wrong doppelganger_. _It should have been Elena,_ he smiled in thought.

"What are you smiling about?" Enzo asked, taking Stefan away from his thoughts.

"Oh, just about the people I killed but shouldn't have." Stefan laughed.

"…and who might that be?"

"Elena is such a flaky bitch. Katherine loved me. We could have been fucking and feeding together right now. What a waste." Stefan laughed ridiculously at the thought of it all.

"Mmm, sounds like my type of woman." Enzo replied.

"Indeed." Stefan smiled. "Alright, we're here."

"…and where is here?" Enzo asked, furrowing his brow.

"Lucy Bennett's. She is so sexy. Unf." Stefan licked his lips at the thought of her.

"Lucy Bennett? Any relation to Bonnie?"

"Yeah, she's her thousandth cousin removed, like twenty times over to the left." Stefan replied. Enzo laughed.

"Is she a witch mate?"

"Yup!"

"Mmm, I wonder if I can get her to fry my brain while I drink her blood."

"Yeah, that's not going to happen." Stefan answered, averting him a serious gaze.

"Oh, you are the protector of the Bennett line?" Enzo asked as if Stefan's comment was absurd.

"Nope, but I want her to fry _my_ _brain_, while I nibble on her boob." Stefan winked at Enzo.

Enzo snickered.

They hopped out of the car and walked to Lucy's front door. Stefan rang the bell and then rang it again and again. He was anxious. This woman had a plan on how to bring his brother back and he needed answers. Plus he had an itch in his lower region that he was hoping she would help him scratch. Stefan didn't remember being this horny before when he shut off his humanity. _It must be something in the blood I'm drinking._

Lucy finally opened the door after they had been standing on her porch for the last fifteen minutes, ringing her doorbell like mad men. She swung the door opened and scowled at the vampires. She then looked at Stefan. She was angry and quite put out with him for bringing another leech to her home.

"The deals off." Lucy slammed the door.

"Whoa! Hey!" Stefan yelled at the closed door and banged on it with all of his vampire strength.

Lucy swung the door open again, stepped out onto her porch, and gave both vampires a brain-popping aneurysm. Stefan and Enzo clawed at their temples and went drifting slowly down to the ground in agonizing pain.

"Lucy." Stefan strained.

"I invited you, not your blood sucking boyfriend."

"Ahh!" Enzo growled and lunged for Lucy.

Stefan intervened, snapping the man's neck before shifting his eyes to Lucy.

"You're welcome." He smiled.

"I'm not helping you." She argued.

"Ah, come on! Why?" Stefan inquired disappointedly.

"Is it pure coincidence that a string of murders just seem to follow you and your little friend right here to my front door?" Lucy blared as she poked her finger hard into Stefan's chest.

Stefan smiled down at her finger. He grabbed it and lifted it slowly to his lips and kissed it. "I'll be more careful next time," he said seductively.

Lucy raised a brow curiously. He was much more composed when she last saw him. Hell, she didn't even remember he was in the room until she looked up and saw him looking down at Katherine's lifeless body on the floor of the study.

"You're different?" She wrinkled her brow.

"When the love of your life and your only living relative keeps kicking you in the balls you learn to grow a pair," he replied.

"Elena, broke your heart?"

"Yeah, but it's all better now," he said the words, and he actually meant them. There was nothing tying him to Elena anymore.

"If your brother broke your heart, why even try to save him?"

"Because he's all I got, and though I hate him…I love him," Stefan said, showing a glimpse of his humanity.

"I can't make any promises about bringing Damon back. My only concern is Bonnie, so if I'm not powerful enough to bring them both back…I won't" Lucy laid all her cards on the table.

Stefan deadpanned. "I know two more witches. They're travelers. Maybe they can help." He suggested. "Now, may I come inside?"

"No, you can't." Lucy grinned. "Let me get my things. I'll be out in a moment. Do you think your friend will be a problem?"

"He's not my friend, and he won't be a problem."

:::::::

Matt felt bad that he and the others had ganged up on Elena. Even though she was an obnoxious and miserable individual, he still found it in his heart to love her. She was his first love, and he supposed that he would always love her even though she didn't truly love him, He moved on in time, and he found comfort in their friendship.

He pulled up in front of their home. Alaric had gone back to teaching and bought a new place for Jeremy and Elena to lay their heads. Once Stefan flipped his switch, everything changed. He kicked the Gilbert's out of the boarding house, covered everything in the home and left, leaving the house without a permanent resident.

Matt got out of the car and jogged to the door. He knocked and waited. It didn't take long for someone to answer. It was Elena herself.

"Matt. Hey, what are you doing here? Don't you hate me like everyone else?" She asked pathetically.

"I don't hate you, Elena. I just don't like the person you've become. You've changed," Matt explained.

"Come in." She stepped aside and allowed him entry. "I'm not going to apologize for who I am, Matt. Being with Damon makes me feel alive. I'm living my life. I'm driving now. I'm not afraid to face down my demons, and it's all because of him."

Matt chuckled.

"What?" Elena inquired, annoyed by Matt's reaction.

"Human Elena was very courageous, and she cared about everyone not just the guy she was in love with," Matt said passionately.

"No." Elena shook her head in protest. "I am more courageous with Damon. I saved his life against Jesse. I defeated Connor, and I saved Bonnie, and together, Damon and I saved the town. We brought back Alaric, Tyler, and Stefan," she explained proudly and confidently, taking credit for everyone's hard work and accomplishments.

"Elena, do you even listen to yourself? In the beginning you didn't want to be a vampire. You continued to question yourself and who you were. Now you're taking credit for things that Bonnie did so bravely for us. She faced the unknown all alone without caring about her own fate, and it was Damon that brought her back, and _you_ almost foiled his plan by being the jealous girlfriend." Matt paused, disgusted with the woman standing before him.

"You blew yourself up, Elena. The Elena I knew would have thought about her brother, her family, and her friends. You need some time alone to find you," he explained, moisture invading his eyes.

"No. No," Elena shook her head. "Being a vampire enhances and intensifies who you are. I've always wanted a love that consumes me. A love that is exciting. I've never known a love like this, and I miss it. I miss Damon, and we have to find a way to bring him back," Elena hissed in her deep raspy voice, sounding like a woman who smoked five packs of cigarettes a day.

She went from a frustrated straight-faced woman to an ugly crier. She began to violently sob as she thought about the fact that Damon was gone. She sniveled and grabbed her forehead as if she were in pain.

Matt was always a sucker for Elena, and now wasn't any different. Her water works had him all misty eyed. He slowly walked over to her, and before he knew it, he was feeding her information about Stefan and his plans. Thanks to Caroline the younger Salvatore was moments away from having his plans derailed by a sprung and sired-acting Elena.

Matt grabbed her by the shoulders, turning her gaze to his. "Elena, I'm not supposed to tell you this, but Caroline told me that Stefan is working on a way to bring Bonnie and Damon home. Apparently, he heard a conversation between Bonnie and her grams and he thinks that there is something to this."

"There's a way to bring Damon back?" Elena quickly wiped away her tears.

"…and Bonnie." Matt frowned.

"Yeah, yeah, and Bonnie. She deserves to come back, too, for sure." She flashed him a Mickey Mouse grin and then let out a light chortle.

"Do you even care about Bonnie, Elena?" Matt asked absurdly.

"Of course I do, Matt. She was my childhood friend. We were like sisters, but I can live without her. She did all these amazing things for us so that we could be happy, but I cannot…I cannot live without Damon. I need him."

"People come and go every day, Elena. It's a part of life. What if this thing with Stefan doesn't pan out?"

"...but it will. It has to. Stefan is going to bring Damon back, and he'll do it by any means necessary. You know this. Stefan loves me, he loves his brother, and he wants us both to be happy; wherever Damon is in this world or universe, he's thinking of me, too. He's trying to get back to me. He promised, and he has never broken a promise that he's made to me." Elena cried through her speech.

"...and what if this is a promise he can't keep, Elena, then what? Maybe you should make some use of this time alone. You know, find yourself again. You used to be so happy. I miss my friend." Matt looked at her, pleadingly.

Elena looked at Matt with moist, puppy dog eyes. She looked like she had aged five years since she had transitioned into this self-absorbed vampire.

"I don't want to think about it. I can't." Elena backed up against the wall and began crying all over again. She drifted down to the floor and continued to wail. This wasn't the girl Matt once knew. She was broken, and for the last several months she depended completely on Damon for her survival and it scared Matt senseless as he looked down on her with wide eyes, scratching the back of his head astonished by the sad shell of his former friend.

::::::

Tupac and his group had finally arrived at their village. Bonnie and Damon were amazed by the massive brick wall that surrounded the place. Once Bonnie passed the threshold of the large gate an ominous feeling came over her. She looked to the sky. The wind blew in her direction, and only she could hear the trees whispering her name. Even Damon could feel this menacing aura hovering over the village.

"Bonnie," he called.

"Yes," Bonnie whispered in reply, still looking to the sky.

"Is this you?" Damon asked, squinting his eyes up at the trees.

"I'm not a witch anymore, Damon."

"What about the fire back at the campsite?" Damon cocked a brow curiously at her.

"That wasn't me," Bonnie answered surely.

"I think it was."

The riders removed Bonnie's and Damon's restraints and then they, with Tupac in the lead, took them to a large building in the center of the community.

"Take me to your leader," Damon teased robotically as he whispered in Bonnie's ear.

"Stop it." Bonnie giggled.

"Tupac. You've returned." The older gentleman smiled. He was a muscular, tan man, and the only thing giving away his age was his salt and pepper hair. "I hope you've brought good news."

"I have something even better." Tupac looked at his guards and summoned for them to fetch Damon and Bonnie.

The elder gentleman looked over their appearances carefully, wrinkling his forehead in wonderment over the outlanders' attire, the way they wore their hair, and their clothes. "What is this?"

"Peyak saw this man healing a Largo. He can also heal himself, and his woman has magic," Tupac explained.

Everyone in the room gasps and hummed in wonderment at the Mystic Falls pair. Bonnie cut her eyes nervously around at the people and Damon did the same, peering at them with his piercing blue eyes.

"How is this possible?" The older gentleman asked.

"His power lies within his blood."

"…and the woman?"

"She hasn't used her magic against us but it manifest itself when she's angry or afraid."

"I don't have magic," Bonnie spat.

"…and though my blood can heal, it's very dangerous." Damon intervened, waving his finger in warning.

"He's lying, Chogan. He'll say anything to keep his secret safe from us. If we take his blood into battle with us against the Badai, it will give us a better advantage. We can heal our warriors and put them back on the field at once. If we do this, it won't matter that they outnumber us twenty to one."

"Uh…bad idea, Mr. Cho," Damon warned. "My blood will heal them, yes, but if they die in battle they will come back as vampires, and can I just add that you'll never have the advantage of a sneak attack in broad daylight again," he said nonchalantly.

"Is this true, Tupac?"

"No." Tupac sped Damon a glaring look before answering the township's leader.

"Alright. Take some of the outlanders' blood and make sure our guest are treated well." The head honcho commended.

"They killed three of our men!" Peyak bellowed.

"We approached them in a hostile manner, Chogan, and we took them against their will. They were only defending themselves from what seemed like a brutal attack. They deserved to be treated as guest." Tupac spoke up for the pair. he knew that he and his men were way too brutish when approaching them.

Damon and Bonnie looked at each other. They were impressed and surprised that Tupac was standing up for them.

The guards took Bonnie and Damon and tried escorting them out of the building. The couple protested and yelled out to Tupac and the head honcho to not go through with their plan, but their warnings fell on deaf ears.

The guards walked the pair quickly through the parish. They looked around the village in wonder. Though they were indigenous people, they lived a relatively modern existence, and the village consisted of people of all different races, living in harmony.

The town had a beautiful courtyard in the middle of the small village; although some might consider it a small city.

Their homes were made out of wood and they had plenty of windows for ventilation. Damon's eyes widened at the sight of a shower in the towns square which the people used to cool themselves from the sweltering days.

Not only did they admire the little city. They marveled at the animals which were similar to animals on Earth but they were larger and had more character. There were what the Mystic Falls pair would call horses, chickens, dogs, and other furry little creatures that mirrored planet Earths beings.

"I wonder what the name of this planet is," Bonnie whispered mindlessly to the wind and Damon slightly grinned at her childlike face.

"Zinnia, meet our new guest. They'll be here for a while. Chogan wants you to make them feel welcomed," the guard said nonchalantly to the beautiful red-haired, mocha-skinned woman with freckles. Her hair was fluffy, tightly curled, and flowed down her back.

"Welcome, I'm Zinnia Shakur, and you?"

Damon looked at Zinnia oddly. Out of all the people in town, she was the only one covered completely. She wore a floor-length skirt and a long-sleeved shirt. He then noticed her disfigured skin peeking out from underneath the collar of her shirt when she moved. Damon immediately turned his attention back to Bonnie when he heard her speaking.

"I'm Bonnie Bennett, and this is my friend Damon Salvatore," she greeted politely.

"Are you married to that idiot, Tupac?" Damon wiggled his eyes at the woman and grinned.

"Damon." Bonnie shot him a warning look. He shrugged.

"Yes, that would be my husband." The woman laughed.

"Zinnia, you have to talk to your husband. He wants to use my friend's blood in battle to heal his men. It's a big mistake. We tried to convince him, but because of an incident that happened earlier he refuses to listen to us," Bonnie pleaded.

"Okay, I'll see what I can do. Well, let me show you where you will be staying," she said and then walked away.

Zinnia walked several feet ahead of them, forgetting they were even present. She finally came out of her own little world and remembered that she was escorting guests. She looked behind her and smiled when she saw that they were still following. After thirty minutes of walking, they finally arrived at a small home at the end of the town square.

The woman opened the door and held a hand up, gesturing for them to enter before her.

"Wow, this is so adorable." Bonnie gasped.

The little home had drapery and thin blankets on the bed. All of the linen was in natural colors. The room was even accented with handmade bowls of potpourri, pictures, and vases which provided the room with splashes of colors.

Zinnia then went over the little two roomed home thoroughly, showing them where different things could be stored and where certain things were located. Sadly there was only one large bed. Bonnie and Damon cut their eyes nervously at each other, at the thought of only having one bed, but on the bright side, it looked soft and very inviting.

Once the woman walked to what they referred to as the bathroom, the pair was in reverence of the fact that it had a shower, not like back home but it was awe inspiring to Damon who had been trying for a couple of weeks to make one.

"So how does this work?" Damon asked while tinkering around with the fixtures and the large tub hanging from the ceiling. He looked like a curious little boy as he marveled at the craftsman.

"Well, you have to heat the water and then fill this pale, then you open up this slot here which allows the water to pour slowly down over you."

"Ah, yeah, that's how I envisioned my shower, but I didn't have the right tools." Damon rubbed his chin in thought and Bonnie snickered at a domesticated Damon.

"I know you must be hungry, so please make yourself at home, and I will be back shortly with plenty of food and spirits," Zinnia said happily.

"Oh Zinnia, what's the name of this planet?" Bonnie asked.

"Earth."

Damon laughed. "This planet can't be called Earth sweetheart. Earth is where _we_ are from."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Salvatore, but this is Earth," Zinnia said sassily.

"Omigod, Damon, this could be Earth. This could be our parallel universe. It could explain why the creatures are similar. Although they're amplified, their biological makeup is the same," Bonnie explained unbelievably.

"Okay, this is Earth, but our main concern is you stopping your nutty husband from making the biggest mistake of his life. Will you please try and talk some sense into him?" Damon looked Zinnia square in the eye. She was unreadable and it was quite off putting to him.

"Yes, Zinnia, please talk to your husband. He's making a terrible mistake," Bonnie added.

"Okay, I'll see what I can do." Zinnia still seemed indifferent about their concerns.

Bonnie sighed and then looked at Damon. "So…what do you think?"

"Well, we've slept together once. I'm okay with it, you?" Damon squinted his eyes at Bonnie, bracing himself for her response.

Bonnie giggled. "I was actually talking about Zinnia. Do you think she will talk to Tupac?"

"Oh yeah, right. I hope so, because if the chemical makeup of the animals are different it could be the same for the people." Damon sat down on the bed and stared at Bonnie for a moment, thinking.

"Are we going to ignore the fact that you have your powers back?" Damon pushed his bottom lip into his top one, giving Bonnie a deadpan look.

"That's impossible. When I died I came back as the anchor and nothing more."

"Yeah, Bonnie, but somehow your grams spell brought us back to life. Granted, she sent us to the wrong damn planet, but you're no longer the anchor which was stupid. You're a little witch." Damon flashed her a cute grin.

Bonnie sat down beside Damon. He rested his hands on the side of the bed, still smiling sweetly at her.

"Well, if that's true, I may be able to come up with a spell to get us back home. Once these people realize that we're telling the truth, I imagine they'll want to take their revenge out against us, and I don't want to be around for that." Her passive gaze became more serious.

Damon was no longer smiling. The thought of going back home knocked a little wind out of him.

"I know you must be worried sick about Stefan and Elena." Bonnie waited for his response.

"…and I know you must be worried about Jeremy." Damon rolled his eyes.

"We really need to try and find a way home. I know Elena and Stefan are finding it hard to move on. I mean you saw how shaken up Elena was when I told her that you were…that you were…gone."

She didn't want to imagine Damon being dead even though they were both dead and standing on the Other Side together waiting for it to explode into oblivion.

"I'm sure Stefan has probably turned to his old ripper lifestyle, and Elena..." Damon shook his head as he sat in thought. The night he died came back to him as if it were just yesterday. He and Elena died together, but they didn't return hand in hand back to Mystic Falls like he had wanted for them. He promised her that he would return. Damon pinched the bridge of his nose, still thinking about what Alaric had said.

_**You got the girl. Don't blow her up. **_

If he hadn't taken Elena with him on his suicide mission, he would have been able to make it back to her. Damon grunted in frustration, becoming angry.

"If Elena wasn't such a pampered princess, so damn clingy, and such a co-dependent…she wouldn't have been there and I would have had time to pass over."

"...or maybe if you hadn't been so selfish with her you would have been able to tell her 'no,' making her see how wrong her actions were." The words slipped so easily from Bonnie's mouth. Her eyes widened in horror when she saw a guilty Damon staring back at her.

"Oh God, I don't know why I said that."

"It's okay. You said it because it's true. I fell in love with this great girl that cared about everything. I finally won her over and then I ruined her," Damon said somberly.

"She loves you, Damon, and that's all you've ever wanted. You should be happy because you won her love." Bonnie got to her feet and walked over to him.

"No, the only good thing about me dying is that I can't fuck up her life anymore, and I was there with you. You didn't have to face the end alone." He looked at Bonnie stoically.

"Thank you for thinking about me." She smiled.

"See…that's the thing. I didn't think about you. All I thought about was bringing Stefan back, saving the town, and as usual, Elena." Damon collapsed down onto the bed.

Bonnie lay down beside him and turned her gaze to his. "...but you did think about me. You came and you found me. You didn't mope about losing Elena or Stefan. You joined me and we faced the inevitable together, and I will never forget what you did."She became teary eyed as she reminisced about that night.

"I won't forget that night either, and I'm glad we're here facing this new world together, too." They smiled at each other as Damon pushed his hand gently underneath Bonnie's, intertwining their fingers.

"Since Elena's been with me, how do you feel about her?" Damon asked in a low, husky voice.

Bonnie lay quietly for an extended period, thinking about Elena then and now.

"You two brought out the absolute worst in each other. I could hardly tolerate Elena. She was so selfish and consumed." Bonnie turned her gaze away from Damon and looked up at the ceiling. "When we return home, you two can start over, and maybe become better people together."

"What if…what if someone else in _this world_ is better for me, and I'm better with them?" Damon questioned nervously, swallowing hard.

Bonnie turned quickly back to him. "Maybe there is, but you won't find that person in Mystic Falls, and it won't be one of Elena's friends. Don't you love Elena anymore?" Bonnie's voice cracked.

She knew very well what Damon was asking, and she knew very well what she was kind of hoping. It was the very reason she was always his cheerleader, rooting him and Elena on. It was why she would ask how was his kiss or how was he doing. It was the very reason for all of those little looks that they gave each other.

They were falling in love, but doubt and fear was their Great Wall of China.

Bonnie broke Damon's heart; she could see it in his eyes. Right then and there, he was asking for confirmation of them, and she squashed the idea on the spot.

"Yea, I'm in love with Elena, but maybe it's time I do right by her, and right by me." He explained as he looked up at the ceiling like a broken man.

"So…um…um-," Damon cleared his throat, breaking the short silence between them. He didn't want to sound as heartbroken as he felt. "You're saying that Elena and I can work it out, or I should find someone new?"

Bonnie nodded quickly, then sat up on the bed, and wiped away a runaway tear from her cheek. "Yeah, I think you and Elena should work it out, because you've been through so much together, and it would be a shame to just throw it all away…you know." She looked back at him and smiled and he looked at her, expressionless.

He sat up slowly, linking his hands together in front of him. An awkward silence fell across the room as they both tried to forget their awkward conversation.

"Hey, I'm going to try and find Tupac and Cho, see if I can talk some sense into them." Damon got up from the bed and left.

::::::

"Tupac." Zinnia smiled and walked swiftly to her mate. "I'm so glad you're home," she said, wrapping her arms around him and squeezing him tightly to her.

"Yes, but you know I can't stay." He gently pulled away from her. "The invasion is tomorrow," he said worriedly.

"I met the outlanders. They seem really nice."

"Yes, they are," he answered without looking at her, loading a few more things in his bag.

Tupac stopped in the middle of what he was doing and then turned to look at his woman. "The man's blood can heal people. It can heal you."

"I know. They explained a little about the situation to me." She paused. "We should talk about this Tupac. The outlanders say his blood could be bad if our men were to die in battle. Are you sure we shouldn't be listening to them?"

"Of course we should, but we can't. The Badai grow stronger every day and they have control over most of our natural resources. We can't heal, feed our people, and not to mention all of the people in our neighboring cities that they've left homeless. Look, his blood may be dangerous in this situation, but it's not for you. I want you to have his blood. It could heal your sickness."

"No." Zinnia shook her head.

"Please, for me."

"Everyone has to die, Tupac. It's the natural order of things."

"What about our children? You are so willing to obey the natural order of things that you would even ignore this blessing that has been bestowed upon us?" He pleaded passionately, his eyes moist as he held tightly to her hands.

"Okay, I will take his blood, for you, and our children." She timidly smiled.

Tupac returned her sweet gesture. "I love you so much, Zinnia. I want to be with you forever." He squeezed her tightly to him, again,as he closed his eyes, and Zinnia looked worriedly out into the room.

::::::

Later that night, Bonnie had eaten and taken a long, hot shower. It was definitely some work preparing it but she managed without her strapping friend. The shower was her ultimate reward for all her hard work in the end.

She took her own sweet time drying off. For some odd reason she didn't care about Damon popping in on her. She put on a night gown and some of the sensual oil that Zinnia had given to her. She then poured herself a glass of wine and sat down on the bed with her back resting against the wall.

It didn't take long for Bonnie's mind to drift off into happier times with Jeremy. She was surprised that he hadn't popped into her mind much sooner. She supposed it was because of her conversation earlier that day with Damon.

Bonnie soon lost her smile when she thought about returning to Mystic Falls. Being away from Jeremy had helped her to see how wrong she and Baby Gilbert were for each other. Thinking about their relationship, stole her happy mood and her appetite for the wine. She walked it over to the table and then snuggled into bed.

While Bonnie did her own thing, Damon walked around the village looking for things to steal from the people so he could make a better way of life for him and Bonnie once they escaped the village. He had also talked with Tupac and Chogan, again. Well, he talked to two brick walls. All the visit ended up doing was causing him more bodily harm as he fought like hell to keep them from taking his blood.

When Damon returned to their temporary home, Bonnie was asleep. He looked over by the bathroom and noticed that she had fetched him some pales of water. He flashed over to the buckets and dipped a finger inside one of them.

The water was still slightly warm. He quickly filled up the pale that hung from the ceiling, closed the door to the room, removed his clothes, and opened up the slot. He walked underneath the warm water, stepping onto the granite flooring, and timidly smiled.

The water was heaven pouring down onto his dirty skin. He grabbed the small glass bottle sitting on a tiny shelf on the wall and sniffed it. It had a fresh and florally scent. He poured a little bit of the liquid into his hand and then rubbed them together. The liquid made a good lather. He lathered up his hair, chest, and took in the fresh scent.

Damon stayed in the shower for as long as the water would let him. His only regret now was putting on his dirty underwear and jeans. It took them almost a full day to get to the village, and he hadn't had a chance to wash his clothes since he'd been there.

He grabbed his underwear from off the floor and hurriedly slipped on his jeans, rolling his eyes at the entire thought of having to put on dirty clothes all the while.

Damon crept in to the room. He was hoping that Bonnie was asleep so he wouldn't have to face her again, but then again, he hoped that she was awake so he could feed.

He stealthily laid across the mattresses and eased his underwear underneath the bed. He laid on his side and looked at the window. There was a light breeze and the moonlight shone straight through the opening. He closed his eyes and then opened them again. He couldn't sleep. He could feel the heat radiating off of Bonnie's body and he liked it.

He quickly closed his eyes again and tried to picture sexy times with Elena, but oddly, the only time with her that kept sneaking into his awareness was the night they argued about how toxic they were for each other. It was also the night he had confessed to killing her friend from college.

Damon cringed in thought of that night. Elena apologized to him for _his_ bad behavior. She then laid down and spread her legs wide for him, rewarding him for the terrible things that he had done just because he thought she had dumped him. He felt sick in the stomach. _Love isn't supposed to make you feel sick._

"Damon," Bonnie called.

_Thank God,_ Damon thought in relief. He was so happy to be taken away from his bad memories.

"Yeah."

"Do you need to feed?"

"Yeah." He lay motionless for a few seconds before turning to face Bonnie. They both had the same bright idea. She turned to face him, and he turned to face her. Their heads smacked right dab into each other's, causing a loud thud with the collision.

"Ow." Bonnie grabbed her forehead.

"What the hell, Bonnie," Damon said as he grabbed his forehead.

They looked at each other and start laughing.

"Are you okay?" Damon asked as he rubbed the lower part of her arm. He instantaneously noticed Bonnie's different attire. "Is that a nightgown?" He squinted his eyes at Bonnie curiously.

"Yeah." Zinnia gave it to me when she brought the food and wine. It was so delicious. I saved you some."

"Thank you. You smell nice, and you look really beautiful." Damon gave her a yearning look and Bonnie became nervous under his gaze.

"Thank you." Bonnie replied.

"I've known you for so long. I can't believe I've never noticed how gorgeous you are."

Bonnie swallowed nervously and quickly changed the subject. "Do you want to take it from my neck or my wrist?"

Damon placed his hand on his neck, signaling to her what he wanted. Bonnie propped herself up on the bed. She leaned her head towards the pillow, exposing her neck to him, and closed her eyes.

Damon ran his finger over her carotid artery, slowly, as he extended his incisors. He drifted in to Bonnie, placing his fangs against her skin, and then slowly sunk them into her soft warm skin.

"Ugh." Bonnie moaned as she grabbed Damon's bare shoulder. She tenderly squeezed and pulled at his soft skin as he took in her warm ambrosia.

He took his fill and extracted his incisors slowly. He licked the remainder of her blood away from her neck, his lips, and teeth.

He gazed into her eyes as he bit into his finger. He wanted a replay of what happened to them the day before. He placed his finger to her lips and she quickly grabbed it and wrapped her full soft lips around his digit.

Bonnie sucked the blood from his small wound and licked his finger tenderly. She slowly moved his finger in and out of her mouth.

"Sss, yes." Damon moaned above a whisper. He had a strange suspicion that she wanted him, yet he never thought a woman like Bonnie would, but seeing her, here and now, had confirmed that he had a chance with the great Bonnie Bennett.

Bonnie heard Damon's moan. Her eyes popped open, and she released him.

Damon grinned timidly as he drifted back down to his pillow. Bonnie's chest moved rapidly up and down as if she were spent by the exchange. A wonderful throbbing feeling erupted between her legs, but she'd be damned if she gave into that urge. She wouldn't dare go after her best friend's man.

She plopped back down onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling with a frantic look on her face. She wanted Damon, but it was too soon. They had only shared small quarters for a short time.

He had only seen her ratchet self in the morning for a month. It was too soon for there to be something more. The entire time she laid in bed thinking about Damon, he was staring and smiling at her.

"Good night, Bonnie." His hoarse voice sounded before he leaned in to her, giving her a goodnight kiss on the cheek. He rested a hand on her flat belly. Bonnie looked at him as she moved her hand slowly over his, caressing it and his forearm tenderly. As she massaged his arm, her scorching skin caressing his cool skin helped to ease Damon's mind. He easily fell asleep under Bonnie's gentle ministrations.

"Good night, Damon." Bonnie said to the sleeping vampire before looking up to the ceiling. "God, help these people. God, help me," she whispered.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** This chapter has been newly edited, replaced, and some changes have been made. I hope you enjoy!

**Oblivion Chapter 5: The Gateway**

The following morning, Bonnie woke up to what sounded like birds chirping nearby. She smiled at hearing them and at the sun shining brightly through the windows of their little hut.

Bonnie soon keyed in to Damon's cool skin touching her warm skin. She folded her bottom lip into her mouth and squeezed her shoulder to her cheek, grinning like a little girl. Not only was Damon's arm resting contentedly on her waist, but his leg was resting comfortably on top of her left leg and nestled snugly against the back of her right.

She didn't want to move. Bonnie enjoyed the closeness of her friend. Damon being here in this brand new beautiful world with her kept her from feeling lonely and it reminded her of home.

Bonnie quickly closed her eyes when she felt Damon move. He lightly dug his fingers into the side of her tiny waist as he tiredly scooted himself closer to her. He pushed his cool lips and nose into the back of her neck, sending chills down Bonnie's spine.

"Mmm." Damon moaned into the back of her neck. "It can't be morning. I just went to sleep," he said groggily, his lips brushing lightly against her skin.

"Yup. It's morning." Bonnie smiled nervously and shrugged. "I need to freshen my breath." She said quickly. She tried to hurry out of bed, peeling Damon's hand away from her waist, but it wouldn't budge.

"Damon." She giggled and turned to him.

"Don't go, Bon Bon. Let's spend the day in bed. We can pillow fight, paint each other's nails." Damon waggled his eyes and bit his bottom lip.

"I need to freshen up." She whined.

"I don't care about your breath, Bonnie. We finally get a good night's rest on a bed of feathers—I think—and you don't want to enjoy it?" Damon chided, hitting her softly on the head with his pillow before shoving it back under his head.

"Omigod, what do you want to do and talk about in bed?" Bonnie asked, slightly annoyed.

"What do you like to do besides fry my brain?"

"I like to do what most girls like to do, Damon. I like to shop, go out on dates, gossip, eat chocolate, and go to parties."

"Dying really put a damper on all of that didn't it?" Damon chuckled.

"Tell me about it." Bonnie smiled. "What did Human Damon like to do? Did he like to lounge around in bed, too?" Bonnie laid back down beside him, propping her head up with her hand.

"What? You don't want to know about Vampire Damon?" He mocked.

"Mm, no. He's a dumb ass." Bonnie giggled like a little girl.

"Touché." Damon pushed his brow into his forehead and smirked. "Human Damon loved to hang out in bed all day. Disobeying his dad was a top priority in his life. He also liked to ride horses, go fishing, and he liked to toss around the pigskin with his brother, and party."

"Did you and Stefan double date a lot?"

"We did a few times. We would take our lady friends to plays, horse riding, have picnics and we'd sit around the parlor,making out when the folks weren't around. The ladies loved me back then." Damon smirked in thought.

"I don't know what the ladies saw in you, then or now." Bonnie sassed.

"I resent that, Bonnie. I'm charming, sexy, and great in bed." He wiggled his eyes at her.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Bonnie pushed her finger to the back of her mouth, pretending to gag. She turned her gaze back to Damon and felt anything but sick at the sight of blue-eyed, raven-haired, handsome Damon Salvatore.

Her eyes quickly scanned his almost naked frame.

Somewhere between them laying down that night and that morning, Damon had found the night clothes that Zinnia gave to them. Her eyes kept navigating over the large bulge in the front of his shorts and the raven treasure trail that led to something that she had thought about on and off since they arrived on parallel Earth.

Bonnie took a hard swallow and then looked back at Damon who was smiling knowingly at her. She nervously cleared her throat, smiled, and pushed a faux loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"How old were you when you first had sex and what was it like?" Bonnie's question clearly was conjured up by a semi-naked Damon who lay before her.

"My, my, aren't we curious," he said with a seductive smile.

Bonnie looked away and then cut her eyes nervously back at him.

"I was fifteen, and it was amazingly hot because she was a hooker." Damon tapped his fingers against his hard abdomen, flashing Bonnie a devilish grin.

"You are so disgusting."

"Haven't we had this conversation before?" He winked and gazed at her ravenously.

Bonnie immediately became uneasy, suddenly feeling an urge to leave. "Well, I better go…and freshen up," she said timidly.

"No, stay. Let's chill." Damon grabbed Bonnie by the wrist and gently pulled her back down onto the bed.

"Damon, we can't hang out in bed all day. It would be inappropriate."

"It would not be inappropriate, Bon Bon. Let's cuddle?" He pouted.

Bonnie widened her eyes at his statement. She instantly felt uncomfortable behind his comment. "Cuddle?"

"Yes, let's snuggle, like we did in the cave when you asked me to lay next to you." He reminded her in the sweetest of voices.

"We had just experienced a life or death situation, Damon." She replied as if he were being ridiculous.

"Every second on this planet is a life or death situation, Bonnie, so what's your point?" He shrugged and furrowed his brow. "Don't you miss cuddling with Jeremy? Don't you ever feel lonely?" he asked seriously.

"Jeremy was my boyfriend. That's what couples do, and yes, I miss it. I'm pretty sure Elena cuddled you a lot." Bonnie clearly wanted to know more about his relationship with her best friend.

"Best friends can cuddle, too, Bonnie, and no, Elena and I didn't snuggle with each other. We had wild sex, we went to sleep, and when we woke up the next morning, she was on her side of the bed and I was on mine."

"Oh." Bonnie flashed him a look of pity. She collapsed back down onto the bed, crossing her ankles, and overlapped her hands on top of her belly. "We can talk. If you want to, but no touchy feely stuff. Okay?" She issued out her wishes sternly.

Bonnie gave in against the better judgment of her mind. Lately, her body and heart were nagging at her brain. They wanted and needed things and they wanted those things from Damon, but her mind was very stubborn on the matter.

Her brain believed in being loyal at any and all cost and it was winning the battle.

"Fair enough," Damon answered and continued, "...so, what was your first time like and who with?" He rolled his eyes at the thought of Jeremy Gilbert possibly being Bonnie's first.

Bonnie's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. Why on earth was Damon curious about _her_ sexual encounters? Oddly enough, Bonnie felt compelled to confide in him of all people about that bittersweet night with Jeremy.

"Jeremy wanted our first time to be at the boarding house-," she was cut off.

"You did _what?_ What the hell, Bonnie?!" Damon spat, frowning up at her.

"We went to a hotel, Damon." She snapped with a roll of her eyes.

"Oh, good. Please, continue." He smirked.

"I placed candles throughout our hotel room. I wanted our first time to be really romantic and magical." Bonnie explained cheerfully and Damon snickered.

"If you're going to laugh I won't tell you, Damon," she said, annoyed.

"Just tell me." He huffed.

Bonnie sighed. "It should have been a beautiful night, but it turned out horribly when two Travelers decided to pass through me while we were in the middle of making out with each other." Bonnie looked at Damon somberly.

"Damn, that must have been-," Damon watched her, disturbed.. He was saddened and rendered speechless by Bonnie's shameful and pathetic expression.

He instinctively reached his hand over to rub her shoulder tenderly for comfort as they both continued to lie in bed on their feathery pillows. Bonnie's head propped up on her hand and Damon's head remained flat on his pillow.

"...so, am I to assume you two tried it again the next night and baby Gilbert rocked your world?" Damon snickered preposterously at the idea while trying to lighten the mood.

"That night was our first time." Bonnie answered embarrassingly.

"You mean Jeremy slept with you after that?" Damon sat up quickly on the bed.

"It wasn't his fault, Damon." Bonnie defended as she hopped to her knees. "I…wanted to be with him."

"Two dead people had just passed through you!" Damon hissed in disbelief. He was an incredible hypocrite in this moment. What was good for the goose was obviously not for the gander in Damon's eyes.

"I'm not talking about this anymore with you." Bonnie exclaimed, jumped out of bed, and tried rushing off to the wash room.

"Whoa. Hey." Damon vamp sped in front of her, turning her around by the shoulders, and walked her back to bed.

"We've worked our asses off since the moment we've stepped foot on this planet, and we're going to enjoy at least one day of lounging and relaxing," Damon said sternly.

"You hurt my feelings." Bonnie pouted.

"I didn't hurt your feelings. I merely made you see what a creep your boyfriend was in that moment and you didn't like it."

Damon climbed back in bed, fluffed his pillow, laid down on his back, and got comfortable. He propped his head up with one hand, crossed his ankles, and waggled his eyes at Bonnie before patting her side of the bed.

Bonnie looked at him seriously as her brain soaked up his words like a sponge. She then fiddled nervously with her fingers as she realized for the first time the gravity of hers and Jeremy's first time being together. She wondered why she was so eager to hide her pain from him and how Jeremy was so willing to ignore her suffering just so he could lay with her.

Bonnie sat mindlessly on the bed, Damon watching her carefully as she looked out into the room with a faraway look in her eyes.

"I can't hold a conversation with myself, Bonnie. Well, I could, but it won't be as fun." Damon smiled at the back of her head.

"Jeremy-," she exhaled. "He was my only contact with the land of the living when I was on the other side. He seemed to really care about me." Bonnie thought for a minute then giggled incredulously. "He went on and on about the fact that he couldn't touch me. He never once talked about a plan to bring me back. I'm surprised he even lied to you about me not wanting you to use magic to bring me back to life. He never really truly loved me. He cheated on me with a ghost. How humiliating." Bonnie's eyes watered.

"Hey, that's not true." Damon's mood mirrored the seriousness of their conversation as he sat up on the bed, pushing his legs up, and resting his elbows on his knees. "Jeremy did love you Bonnie. He was a horny teenager, and you're hot. Why wouldn't he want you?" He stated, trying to lighten the mood and make Bonnie feel better.

"Did?" Bonnie crinkled her forehead curiously.

"Did what?" Damon looked at her oddly.

"You said Jeremy _did _love me. You don't think he loves me anymore?" Bonnie asked hesitantly.

"I don't know." Damon pushed his bottom lip up into his top one and shook his head. "I'm sure the universe has guided Stefan and Elena back to each other." He offered a fake smile and widened his eyes just thinking about it.

"Elena loves you, Damon, and I'm sure she's waiting for you." Bonnie gave him an encouraging grin.

It was now Damon's turn to mull over his own relationship, and his comment about Elena and Stefan finding their way back to each other began to weigh heavily on his mind.

"When Elena declared her love for you, how did it make you feel?" Bonnie laid on the bed, propping her chin up on her hand, and swinging her feet in the air.

"Uhhh…" Damon lost his train of thought as he watched Bonnie's beautiful toned and tawny legs. Her nightgown was extremely short, leaving little to the imagination, and he imagined that what Bonnie had between her legs was tight, hot, wet, and heaven to a cold nature creature like himself.

"Uh-," He scratched the back of his head and tried to put his focus back on their conversation. "It was nice finally hearing her say she was in love with me, and the sex was…forbidden, animalistic, lustful." He chuckled.

"O-kay." Bonnie shifted her eyes to the side and then giggled.

"When I try to think about that night with her, which was one of the happiest moments I had experienced in decades, it always gets overshadowed by the night she jumped in bed with me after I admitted to killing Aaron. I wanted her to get angry and refuse me. It was the first time that I realized Elena wasn't the same girl that I had fallen in love with."

"Oh, my God. You killed Aaron?" Bonnie asked in disbelief, forgetting everything else that Damon had said.

Damon turned a blank look to Bonnie. He should have known that their day of peace and lounging around wouldn't last forever.

"Damon, why?" Bonnie still couldn't believe that he would do such a thing to Elena, especially since they had been together.

"Because I was hurting, Bonnie." He argued in defense.

"Because you were hurting? Aaron is dead. He's not at college enjoying his life. His life was cut short by you because you were hurting. I was Aaron not so long ago. I was dead. Don't you remember?" Bonnie asked heatedly, disgust marrying her lovely face.

Damon collapsed back onto the bed, resting his forearm on his forehead and glaring up at the ceiling, trying to pretend that Bonnie's judgy eyes weren't piercing a hole through his undead heart.

Bonnie jumped out of the bed and headed for the bathroom.

"Where are you going?" Damon asked heatedly.

"Away from you." She snapped.

"You're angry with me? Are you serious?" Damon sat up in bed, again, angry.

Bonnie pushed her knee out, folded her arms roughly over her chest, and glowered.

"You didn't seem to have a problem with me when I kidnapped your boyfriend." Damon hissed, quickly moving to stand.

"I did have a problem with it, Damon, but I knew that you wouldn't kill Jeremy. I knew you were grandstanding and only trying to get Elena's attention. You and Enzo didn't need me to help you find a witch to help you find Wes." Bonnie argued.

"Well, then you don't know me, sweetheart, because I would have gladly killed Jeremy," he said coldly. For the life of him he couldn't figure out why he was so determined to tell Bonnie all his dirty little secrets. He knew she would be furious with him, but it was much deeper than that. Secretly, he wanted to be punished for what he had done to Aaron.

He hated looking back at that night. It made him want to vomit when he thought about what he had turned Elena into. She was now a worse version of herself. She made excuses for his horrible behavior, poor decisions, and then she rewarded him by having sex with him.

"You would have killed Jeremy, knowing how much that would have hurt me, and Elena?"

"Yes." Damon deadpanned, and Bonnie slapped him across the face with such force that he staggered back against the table before swiftly straightening himself.

Damon placed a hand on his afflicted cheek, astonished. He stared at her for a tick and then glowered.

"I'm out of here," he stated and then went to grab his things.

"Good!" Bonnie yelled.

"Fine!" Damon shouted.

"Great!" Bonnie screamed at the top of her lungs, pushing her body from the floor and tensing up.

"Fantastic!" He screamed again.

"Awesome! Now, get the hell out!" She screeched as she pointed her finger at the door.

"Fucking peachy, and I will!" Damon screamed back at her and slammed the door to the house with such force that it quaked.

Bonnie grabbed a vase off the table and threw it at the door.

::::::

"Chogan, you called for me?" Tupac asked as he entered his leader's chambers.

"Yes." Chogan answered. "I've asked Cheyenne to give our men three drops of the outlander's blood."

"What?" Tupac's eyes widened in horror as he walked closer to the man's desk. "You can't do that. If our men go into battle and die, they will come back as something else."

"Well, wasn't this your plan all along. To save our men?" Chogan inquired.

"We don't know a damn thing about this man's blood or how it works. All I know for certain is that his blood can heal, and I want to use his blood solely for that purpose," Tupac said sternly.

"No," Chogan said.

"No. What the hell do you mean no?!" Tupac became agitated.

"I believe the outlander is lying. He said his kind couldn't walk around in the sun, yet he does it just fine. Cheyenne told me the outlander is super strong, fast, and that he has some type of super hearing."

"It doesn't matter!" Tupac yelled and Chogan yelled over him as he struck the desk, throwing his authority around at his right hand man.

"It does matter! Can you imagine if we had an army of super soldiers?" Chogan spat madly. "We could-," he continued to talk as Tupac rushed out of the building and ran towards Bonnie's and Damon's house.

"Tupac!" Zinnia yelled after spotting her husband leaving Chogan's.

He turned slowly around to her, his face apprehensive.

"What's wrong? Where are you going?" She asked anxiously.

"Chogan has commanded that all of our men have Damon's blood before battle. He's hoping it will make them like him."

"Oh, no," Zinnia whispered in horror. "I will talk to Bonnie. I was on my way over anyway to make sure they've eaten, and that they're not in need of anything else."

"We'll go together," Tupac said sweetly. "You like the outlanders?" He asked and unbelieving look in his eyes.

"Yes. I think they are good people, and I wish you wouldn't be so mean to them."

"I have to. The male is stubborn."

"Ugh." Zinnia grunted.

The couple smiled at each other as they walked hand in hand to Bonnie's and Damon's..

::::::

Stefan, Lucy, and Enzo had a decent ride despite the fifty-five messages Elena had left on Stefan's phone and the twenty-five messages she left on Enzo's.

Stefan could kick his own ass for telling Caroline about his plans. He should have known that he couldn't trust the girl with the type "I" personality to keep her mouth shut.

Lucy, had them make a pit stop in Long Island, New York. After further discussion about Luke and Liv, the older witch decided not to involve them in her plans. She had already asked Cassie Blake and Melissa Glaser to assist her with the spell and felt like their powers combined would be enough.

Lucy decided to meet her friends at a halfway point. There was no way she would take Enzo and Stefan anywhere near her friends' place of residence.

The group had been cooped up in their hotel suite a little over five hours waiting for Lucy to come up with a spell to send Bonnie a message across time and space. It was a spell that she literally had to come up with on her own. Then she had to practice the spell with her friends to make sure they got the wording just right as well as practice a few test runs that they tried to send blindly into oblivion.

"Oh, my God. I'm fucking bored!" Enzo shouted as he laid across the bed on his back, his head hanging off the side.

"Well, leave, asshole," Stefan said nonchalantly. "Lucy, what the hell are you doing over there with dumb and dumber? Jesus, come on." He was growing impatient.

Cassie glared at him, and Melissa rolled her eyes and murmured under her breath.

"We're witches, Salvatore, not gods. We need to make sure everything is perfect before we go through with this," Lucy explained.

"Iis this spell going to bring them back?" Stefan asked, frustrated.

"There is no way in hell we can bring Bonnie and Damon back tonight, tomorrow, or even next week for that matter."

"Lucy, you told me you had a plan to bring them back!" Stefan argued as he jumped to his feet.

"She did. I heard her," Enzo stated casually.

"No. That is not what I said." Lucy lied and became uneasy.

"You said…you didn't think you were strong enough to bring them both back which lead me to believe you had a plan." Stefan announced angrily as he pointed his finger aggressively at the woman.

"Okay. Look, right now all I have is a spell to contact Bonnie…if she's alive. At least this way she will know that we are trying to bring them home," Lucy said shamefully.

"You're lying, Lucy! You are trying to save Bonnie, only, and you are going to leave my brother to suffer." Stefan yelled, his face beet red.

"You're being paranoid, Stefan." Cassie interrupted.

Stefan snapped and flashed to Cassie. He snatched her up from the chair and plunged his fangs deep into her throat. If Lucy Bennett were going to fuck him over he was going to return the favor.

Stefan was a ticking time bomb, and he was desperate to bring his brother back home, and every day that Bonnie and Damon were gone he felt like his chances of bringing them back would diminish.

Enzo widened his eyes in horror and Melissa started screaming, forgetting that she was a witch as they watched the gory scene playing out in front of them.

Lucy held up a hand to Stefan, hitting him with a concentrated wave of pain. Enzo tried to interfere, but the witch quickly thwarted his brave attempt to be the hero.

"Step back, leech, or I will set your ass on fire," Lucy said through tight lips.

"Easy, love." Enzo smiled and slowly backed away.

Stefan ripped himself away from Cassie. The pain was too much for him to hang on. He ripped himself away from her, bringing a small chunk of her flesh with him. He crashed to his knees, blood dripping from his mouth as he gripped his temple, trying to massage out the pain.

"Cassie!" Melissa yelled and kneeled down over her friend. "She's still alive, but her pulse is weak."

"Enzo." Lucy gestured to her friend and the vampire flashed to the woman, quickly giving her his blood.

"Stefan, you…need to calm the hell down. Now, I like you, but I will kill you if I have to. Now, I'm going to stop, and when I do, promise me that you will be a good boy?"

Stefan quickly nodded. "I just want my brother back," he stated passionately.

"I know, but if you're dead it really won't matter. Now, will it?" Lucy replied sassily.

"How is Cassie?" Lucy asked Melissa, still keeping her eyes carefully on Stefan.

"She's healing." Melissa answered.

Enzo picked up Cassie and laid her on the bed.

"Just tell us how you plan on bringing back Bonnie and Damon?" Enzo asked heatedly as he straightened.

"I think Sheila opened up a portal, and when the other side collapsed Bonnie and Damon fell through."

"…and you know this, how?" Stefan spat as he slowly got to his feet and then sat down at the table.

"Because she can see dead people," Enzo mocked and Lucy rolled her eyes at him.

"Sheila visited me before the other side collapsed. She told me about her plan. She couldn't do it alone. She had to channel all of the Bennett witches, the dead and the living alike to harness enough power to complete the spell, but the only drawback to the incantation is that she didn't know how to bring them back alive, or where they would go."

"Well, if that's the case why didn't she just bring them back to life?" Stefan chuckled preposterously.

"Because if she had done that, you idiot, you and a Bennett would have died in the place of Bonnie and Damon and with the destruction of the other side you would been gone forever. Nature always has to have a bal-,"

"A balance…yada ya ya." Stefan rolled his eyes as he pulled out his phone. "Jesus. I'm going to need a drink behind all of this. I need to take this call," he said, relieved.

Once outside in the hallway, Stefan answered his phone as he leaned against the wall, stuffing a hand in his pocket.

"What the fuck do you want, Elena?" He answered rudely.

"Do you always have to be so rude?"

"Do you always have to be so fucking annoying?"

"I only want to know what's going on. Has Lucy and the others found a way to bring Damon back? I really need to be there. Please, tell me where you are."

"Things will go a lot smoother if you aren't here to fuck it up."

"Stefan. This is me, Elena. We once made a good team. This isn't you. Before Damon died we were close. I still want that."

Stefan remained silent for several moments.

"Stefan." Elena held her phone out to look at it. He was still there, but he didn't answer.

"Stefan, I still love you. We can help each other get Damon back." Elena no longer heard background noise. "Stefan." She called once more.

Stefan held his thumb on the end button. It angered him that Elena would use the words 'I love you' so loosely. He truly hated the woman now. She did, like Damon, bring him a glimpse of his humanity, only it was on the opposite side of the spectrum.

A part of Stefan hoped that wherever Bonnie and Damon went, they were falling in love with each other.

He smiled happily at the thought of seeing him and his brother both telling Elena Gilbert that they were in love with other women. Nothing would give him greater pleasure than to see that fantasy become a reality.

"Uh, Stefan," Melissa called.

"Yeah." Stefan looked at her expressionlessly.

"Lucy is ready to start the spell."

Stefan rushed into the room behind Melissa.

"Yeah, what's up?" He asked anxiously.

"I wrote a little note for Bonnie. Do you want to add something for Damon?"

"Uh, yeah, so you're going to send a piece of paper through a portal to another world?" Stefan asked ludicrously. "Well, that's stupid."

"No, dumb ass. I'm sending it in this." Lucy handed Stefan a metal box made out of titanium. She wanted to make sure whatever she sent to Bonnie wouldn't be destroyed by the elements as it passed through the gateway.

"Unf, not bad." Stefan smiled at Lucy and then sat down at the table and wrote a little note to his brother.

He told him he loved him, missed him, and then he went on to tell his brother what a nervous wreck Elena was, and that if he didn't come back he was sure she would end her own life. He wanted to make sure his brother knew the urgency of the situation; if anyone could motivate Damon it was Elena's existence.

Stefan folded the note with love before placing it into the silver metal box. Lucy closed the container before chanting over it and sealing it shut. Melissa, Lucy, and Cassie sat around the table, joined hands, and then began to chant.

Enzo flashed to a standing position and rushed to Stefan's side as a white light began to swirl rapidly around the box, causing a wind to blow throughout the room.

The vampires didn't remember incantations being this spectacular and magical. The light blared throughout the room, making their suite seem like a beacon sitting at the top of their building.

Their hair flapped wildly in their faces as they chanted in unison with their eyes closed. After several moments of their magical mantra, the box disappeared. Once seeing the box vanish, a sickening feeling fell over Stefan.

He immediately regretted telling his brother about Elena's state of being. If Bonnie and Damon were alive and growing closer, his letter could ruin any chances they had at a blossoming love affair. Deep down he knew that if Damon suspected that Elena was on the verge of hurting herself, his brother would stop at nothing, including hurting Bonnie, to get back to her.

"Lucy, you have to stop that box from going through," Stefan stated in horror.

Lucy let out a hysterical laugh. "It's done, Salvatore," she said with a deadpan look on her face.

Stefan grabbed his temple and ran his hands through his hair in frustration.

::::::

Damon walked through the settlement cursing under his breath. Bystanders looked at him oddly and snickered at his weirdness, but he was too angry to even care.

He was begging just one person to say one thing to him out of the way. He would make them sorry that they ever crossed Damon Salvatore's path.

First, Damon wanted to kill someone. He wanted to know that there was someone in the world that was hurting as much as him.

He then wanted to go home and destroy their hut. That would definitely make Bonnie sorry for getting angry with him over Aaron, someone who wasn't even a part of their little gang.

After Damon had thought about all the horrible things he wanted to do, he thought about what the consequences of those actions would be.

He would no longer have a cozy place to live and the town's people would probably put him and Bonnie to death.

Damon laughed at himself. He was actually dealing with his pain without involving everyone else and making them suffer his man-pain, too, and it felt good for him to finally be a real man.

Deep down he was relieved to be read the riot act by Bonnie, but the downside of that was that he had ruined what took months upon months of growth between him and Bonnie. Now they were back at square one, and he didn't want that.

Damon was way past merely needing Bonnie, he wanted her in his life. She was the other half of him, and it took another universe and him dying to even see it or admit it to himself.

He walked so quickly and for so long in thought about his situation that he found himself surrounded by trees. He was now in the forest but the village was still in his view. He collapsed back against the tree, drifted down to the forest floor, rested his elbow on his knees, and overlapped his hands.

He began to reminisce over every moment that he and Bonnie had shared and everything that they had gone through together since they had been on the new planet. Damon couldn't think of one moment that was toxic or unhealthy between them.

All of his encounters with Bonnie were sweet, deep, adventurous, happy, fun, filled with tension, nervousness, and passion. She was the first woman that he had ever come to respect and care for naturally and on his own terms.

Bonnie wasn't some woman that he start pursuing out of spite or revenge and then ultimately won through a sire bond. She wasn't some woman that he had come to love because he was compelled to do so. He loved her because he simply just did, and because of all her wonderful qualities.

"I need her to forgive me," he whispered as he pressed his head into his hands wearily.

::::::

"Hi, Zinnia, Tupac." Bonnie greeted dryly, a vexed expression on her face.

"Good morning." The couple greeted and Zinnia furrowed her brow. She could sense that something was off. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. What's up?" Bonnie forced herself to smile.

"Where's Damon?" Tupac asked.

"He took a walk around town."

"Bonnie, you said that Damon's kind couldn't walk around in the sun." Tupac got straight down to business. There was no time for pleasantries.

Bonnie nodded curiously.

"How is Damon able to do this?"

Bonnie exhaled and then answered. "There is a way, but I won't tell you." Bonnie folded her arms over her chest.

Tupac laughed at her outrageous comment and scratched his head in disbelief.

"Look…I am not going to hurt you or Damon, but if I'm to make Chogan understand that you two are being honest, then I need some fucking answers."

"Tupac!" Zinnia yelled. "Don't be rude to our guest."

"No. I'm not going to stop until she gives me some answers. This is a life or death situation," he said to Zinnia.

"Bonnie, you will tell me what allows Damon to walk during the daylight," Tupac said through clenched lips, pointing his finger in Bonnie's face.

"Why? So you can use it against him later? I will die before I let you hurt my friend." Bonnie slapped his finger out of her face and pushed her face into his.

"Is there a problem here?" Damon asked as he entered the home looking serious and deadly. He had heard the latter part of their entire conversation from the other side of the door.

"You say your kind can't walk around in the sun. How is this possible?" Tupac then directed his frustration at Damon.

"Because I'm the first of my kind. I'm special." Damon averted the man a fake smile.

"You're a liar that's what you are. You will go to battle with me and my men." Tupac demanded.

"Yeah…that's not going to fucking happen." Damon folded his arms over his chest.

Damon and Tupac engaged in a standoff.

"Both of you put your dicks back in your holsters. Tupac you can't command Damon to go into battle with you. He's not one of your soldiers." Zinnia reprimanded.

"Chogan is giving all of our men his blood, and I need to know how this is going to affect my men and this parish." Tupac spat.

"What the hell did you say?" Bonnie finally found her voice.

"Chogan wants to make super soldiers like Damon." Tupac answered.

"Oh boy." Damon grunted, bothered.

"Damon, I know you are not one of us. You don't have to fight in our war, but will you please accompany my husband in battle?" Zinnia said imploringly.

Damon searched her beautiful face and then his eyes drifted down to the disfigurement that always seem to peep out from underneath her covering. He quickly took his mind off of her scar and shifted his gaze over to Bonnie. She was still angry with him. He could see it in her eyes.

"Okay, I will go. It's not like I'm wanted around here," Damon replied.

Bonnie's mouth went ajar. She didn't want Damon going into battle. No matter how angry she was with him; she wasn't ready to see him dead or hurt. She couldn't believe that he had fixed his mouth to say something so outlandish.

"Thank you, Damon." Tupac forced out, dryly. He was a proud man. Statements like, 'sorry,' and 'thank you,' weren't words that were part of his everyday vocabulary, but he did have a hidden agenda.

"Uh, Damon, Zinnia has an illness. Our physician said there's nothing more he can do for her. She doesn't have much time left with us. Will you…can you…would you…do you…could you…I'm…look…uhh-,"

"Oh God, I could have been on the other side of the fucking planet by now," Damon spat.

Tupac glowered.

"What my husband is trying to ask, Damon," Zinnia inhaled, "Do you think your blood can heal me?" She pulled up her sleeves, revealing her disfigured and extremely scar-covered arm. "Believe it or not, this is the most attractive part of me." She laughed to keep from crying.

Damon knew exactly what she had once seeing her affliction.

"You have leprosy," Bonnie gasped.

Damon gently grabbed the woman by the wrist and studied her extremely disfigured arm before looking back at her. "You're beautiful." He trailed his fingers as soft as a feather down Zinnia's face before stealing a glance at a hypnotized-looking Bonnie.

"Try not to fall in love with me after you have my blood." Damon gave Zinnia a smoldering glance. He looked back at Bonnie, again, hoping he could get a rise out of her.

"Get on with it," Tupac snapped with his arms folded over his chest.

Veins began to swim across Damon's cheeks. He couldn't resist putting on a little show. He turned his gaze back to Zinnia and she became afraid at the sight of him. He bit slowly into his wrist and lifted it slowly to the woman's mouth.

Tupac was worried and slightly shaking in his boots. Damon glanced at his nemesis, impressed by the fact that he was able to make the fearless Tupac's heart beat a little faster.

"Today, please." Damon smirked at Zinnia.

The woman finally parted her trembling lips, at a snail's pace, before clamping down over Damon's bleeding wound.

Zinnia closed her eyes and frowned up at the taste of the vampire's blood. She suckled on his crimson liquid longer than she needed to, believing that she needed copious amounts of his blood to heal her condition. She finally pulled away from Damon. She wiped her lips with the sleeve of her top and then stumbled back to the kitchen table.

"Zinnia." Tupac called as he took the woman into his arms and helped her into the chair. "What the hell did you do to her?" He flashed Damon an angry look.

"She's fine. She's healing. See." Bonnie peeled back the woman's covering. Tupac's eyes widened in amazement.

"Here. She can lay down in our bed." Bonnie and Tupac helped Zinnia to the bed.

Once she was tucked in, Tupac asked to speak with Damon alone so he could fill him in about the details of the battle. Bonnie watched as the men exited the house.

Damon looked back at Bonnie, meeting her gaze. They looked at each other for a tick. Bonnie was stubborn and so was Damon. Neither one of them were ready to budge on their position, but Damon didn't need her forgiveness in this moment, but he did hope that she would at least pretend to even care that he was heading off into a dangerous situation where if someone aimed their wooden arrow just right, it would be the end of him.

Alas, Bonnie didn't flinch. Her unreadable look never turned into one of concern, panic, or great distress for him. Damon looked down at the ground in sorrow before closing the door to the house.

::::::

Stefan found himself all alone on the terrace of their hotel suite. Enzo was out on the town doing what he did best, killing people, and the witches went back to the comfort and the protection of their own room.

After the stunt that Stefan had pulled there was no way the women were going to share a suite with two serial killer vampires.

Stefan was highly surprised that he didn't go out on the town with Enzo, ripping an innocent bystander apart would do him a world of good right now, but he decided against it. He opted for pining over his brother all alone instead.

Although Stefan had turned off his humanity, he oddly still had bouts of emotional moments. Like now, out on the balcony of his suite. Happier times of him and his brother rolled viciously around in his mind, torturing him astonishingly, but he soldiered on with his good and bad memories alike no matter how much it hurt.

He recollected fights with his brother about Giuseppe, Katherine, and then there were the moments when they would sit up all night 'til the wee hours of the morning, talking about everything.

'Til this day, he still lamented all those decades ago when he convinced his brother to be a vampire and live forever with him. He did it because he couldn't stand to be without Damon, yet here he was, almost two hundred years later, forced to live in a world without his older brother and he absolutely hated it.

If he did not have the overwhelming determination to bring Damon back to life, he would gladly remove his ring so that he could meet his fiery death with dignity.

Stefan's past thoughts had quickly come and gone, and his mind began to see a future where it was only him and Damon. As the imaginary moments began to dance in his head, his phone rang and brought him abruptly back to his current and miserable reality.

He looked at the phone vacantly and decided to answer it on the fourth ring.

"Hello." Stefan answered dryly.

"Hey, it's me," Caroline announced innocently.

"I don't know anyone by the name of 'me,'" Stefan replied.

"It's Caroline, idiot."

"Oh," He said indifferently.

"All I get from you is 'oh'?"

"No, you get _you have a fucking big mouth_. Elena has been calling me non-stop. What the hell, Caroline?"

"Sss…I know. I messed up. I told Matt. He told her because she was in such a sad state and he was completely worried about her. He assumed the information about bringing Damon back would help her."

"You should've never betrayed me," Stefan said seriously.

"Does this mean you hate me?" Caroline held the phone close to her ear, waiting for him to answer. Stefan didn't say anything to her for over two minutes but Caroline didn't give up.

"I could never be mad at you," Stefan finally answered.

"Good." She smiled into the phone. "It's pretty lonely here in Mystic Falls. Are you coming home soon?" Caroline hopped on the kitchen counter and happily swung her dangling feet.

"Yeah, we should be back in a few days."

"Have you thought about our kiss?" She asked tentatively.

"Uh…" Stefan couldn't find the words. He let out a low chortle and Caroline blushed.

"It was nice, Caroline, but we can't be together."

"Why not, and don't say it's because of Elena? She slept with your brother. She has no right to criticize you about who you date." She scolded

"It's not about Elena. It's about me, and the fact that I don't want to hurt you. I'm not myself right now, and the last thing I want to do is lead you on," Stefan explained easily.

"I trust you, Stefan. You could never hurt me. Here you are without your humanity and you're as sweet as you can be."

"Look Caroline-," Stefan paused. "I don't want to talk about relationships. All I want right now is to get my brother back, feed, get drunk, and occasionally fuck a beautiful woman. Is that what you want?" Stefan declared seriously and waited motionlessly for her reply.

They sat on the phone for two minutes, a deafening silence between them.

"No. That's not what I want, but I do hope you get your brother back. Bye, Stefan," Caroline said gloomily and then hung up the phone.

Stefan looked at his cell solemnly and then turned his attention to the door.

He rolled his eyes at the entrance before placing his feet on the ground and slamming his bottle of bourbon down onto the table.

He flashed to the door and opened it to none other than Lucy Bennett.

"Hey." She smiled and then sashayed into the suite with a bottle of champagne and two long stem glasses in hand.

"Are you lost?" Stefan asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm right where I want to be." She answered sassily before sitting down on the couch, pouring some of the bubbly in to the champagne glasses.

Stefan walked slowly over to the couch and sat down beside her. "What's your game, Lucy?"

"I'm not playing a game. I want the same thing as you."

"So, this is a peace offering?"

"Something like that." She smiled. "You seem like such a sweet person the last time we met. Well, when we sort of met."

"You know what I think?" Stefan smirked.

"What?"

"I think you are a horny witch." Stefan flashed her a sexy smile, cocking his head to one side.

"Well, there's that, and maybe I just think you need a friend."

"I don't need a friend. All I need is a good bottle of bourbon and to rip the head off of someone every now and again."

"Now see, that's where you and I have a problem. What happened today can't happen again. I know you miss your brother, but I can't help you…no, I _won't_ help you if you're going to be abusive to my friends."

Stefan nodded his head and smiled as he tapped his fingers against the arm of the sofa. He then pushed himself forward on the couch, spreading his legs wide apart, linked his hands together in front of him, and flashed Lucy a ravenous look.

Stefan drifted into her for a kiss and she turned away. He grabbed her roughly by the hair at the back of her head and turned her gaze back to his.

Lucy then tried to kiss him. Her warm lips brushed up against his and he tugged at her hair, pulling her lips away before they could make full contact. He vamped up and deliberately extended his incisors.

Stefan yanked Lucy's head to the side and sunk his fangs into her neck. Lucy let him take a little of her blood before grabbing him by the hair at the back of his head and yanked him away from her. She gave him a light aneurysm. Stefan grunted loudly through the pain. He shook off the sting and flashed back in for more of her blood. Stefan pinned her down to the couch and forced her legs apart with his.

"I never figured you as the type to like it rough." Stefan smiled down at her.

"There's a lot you don't know about me." Lucy pushed Stefan onto the floor. She straddled him, ripped his shirt off, and then his jeans and underwear.

She stood over him, eased her panties off, and then squatted over his naked pelvis. She grabbed ahold of his rock hard venous cock and guided herself down on to him. Stefan moaned and his head hit the floor with a thud. He closed his eyes and keyed into Lucy slowly pushing herself up and down onto his long fuck stem with her strong legs.

Stefan took a hard swallow and bit his bottom lip at her wonderful ministration. Sex wasn't better than human blood, but it definitely dulled the pain.

"How does it feel to have a real woman?" Lucy leaned into Stefan and whispered against his lips as she pinned his hands to the floor and had her way with him.

She gave Stefan another light aneurysm. "Oh shit. Shit." Stefan laughed through the discomfort before throwing his strong arms around her and greedily and happily kissed the beautiful witch.

Lucy and Stefan fucked on the floor, the coffee table, the couch, and the terrace. They rested and then went back in for more. Stefan was finally living out one of his dirty fantasies to have his brain fried while having hot passionate mind blowing sex.

::::::

Morning had come and gone for Bonnie, yet Damon still hadn't made it back from his talk with Tupac. Zinnia slept for a couple of hours. She woke up energetic and fully healed. She was too thrilled to sit around and be a shoulder for Bonnie to cry on.

She had to share her good fortune with all her friends and family so Bonnie's problem had to wait.

Bonnie had to face her dilemma with Damon all alone. She literally had no one, not even Damon to argue with about how angry she was with him.

She decided to stop sitting around feeling sorry for herself. Though she was still exceptionally mad with Damon, she was still exceedingly worried about him going to battle, too. Damon wasn't invincible. He might have been harder to kill than everyone else, but he still could be killed and the thought of that alarmed her.

She freshened herself up a bit and then put on the adorable outfit that Zinnia had given to her. The gladiator sandals, halter top, and mini skirt fit her perfectly. After dressing she marched down to the village square and instead of running into Damon, she ran into Zinnia.

Bonnie's mouth went ajar at the sight of the new Zinnia. She was in a short mini skirt, a halter top, and boots, and she was toting a water canister and a small leather satchel. The satchel was filled with an assortment of breads and cheeses.

"You look really hot." Bonnie complimented her.

"Thanks, and I see you decided to wear the cute things I gave you. You look really beautiful, Bonnie." Zinnia smiled at Bonnie's outfit which was very similar to hers.

"Where are you going, on a picnic?" Bonnie smiled.

"The men are leaving for battle today. I want to see my husband off and take him this care package," Zinnia said stoically.

"They're leaving, right now?"

"Yes." Zinnia answered and Bonnie took off for home.

Instead of putting Damon together a care package, she spent the whole day mad about something he had done not so far off into the distance past. Bonnie burst through the door of their home and ransacked the place looking for the water container and the haversack that Zinnia had given to her the day before.

She grabbed a piece of the glass from the vase that she threw at Damon that morning and cut herself quickly and savagely across the hand. Bonnie squeezed her bloody appendage with all her might so that her blood would flow into the medium size opening.

Back at the gate, Damon was saddling the animal that was given to him to ride when he noticed all the couples, lovers, and family members saying goodbye to each other all around him. He looked at all of them with sadness, wishing that he had someone to be there for him.

Damon looked back down the passageway that lead to his and Bonnie's little hut. He knew he should have said goodbye to her, no matter if she said it back to him or not. He gazed at the road leading to her as if it would will her to him.

He would give anything to see Bonnie's face before he left. Even if she bitched him out the whole time at least she would be there.

Damon knew in his heart if something happened to him that Bonnie would be devastated. There wasn't an evil or selfish bone in her body. She was the most selfless person he knew, and she cared about everyone. She even gave mercy to her enemies. She didn't need to be shown or told to do the right thing, it just came naturally for her.

Damon turned his attention back to his animal and tried really hard to tune out all the family moments around him.

"Damon! Damon!"

Damon snapped his head to the aisle that lead to the little hut. It was Bonnie. His mouth went ajar and his eyes widened in amazement at the sight of Bonnie Bennett running toward him like a bat out of hell.

Bonnie was absolutely stunning in her amazon looking outfit. If Zinnia was the amazon princess of the village Bonnie was most definitely the amazon queen. The entire world stopped as Damon watched Bonnie run to him like Carmen Electra in Bay Watch.

Her breast wiggled and her thighs jiggled and she was running to _him, _of all people, and he was praying to any God listening that he didn't faint at this miracle of a moment.

"I made you a care package. I brought this for you." Bonnie panted as she jogged the rest of the way to him. She looked flushed, and a blotchy bloody cloth was tied around her hand.

Damon searched her over quickly, instantly growing worried at the state of her. Bonnie took a long blink once she reached him and involuntarily drifted down to the ground.

"Whoa." Damon caught her before she hit the ground. He drifted to the surface with her in his grip. "Bonnie," he whispered worriedly.

"I'll be okay. I'm just a little weak. I had to fill your water container with my blood," Bonnie said tiredly through a lazy smile. "I only want you to feed from me. I don't want these people to know everything about you. They may try to hurt you," she explained weakly.

Bonnie was so beautiful to Damon in this twinkling. He ran his finger down her face and brushed her lips with his thumb. "You're too good for me. You know that?" Damon then bit into his wrist and placed it against her full cracked dry lips. She took a few drops of his blood and then pulled away.

"Thank you." Bonnie was grateful.

"You don't have to thank me. You being here is thanks enough. You didn't have to come. I know you're still angry with me," Damon said sweetly as he helped her to her feet.

"I had to come. You need me, and I need you. I couldn't live with myself if you left here without me saying goodbye."

"The things I said to you about Jeremy and what I did to Aaron-," Damon was stopped mid-sentence.

"Don't think about that now."

"No, you need to hear it. I fucked up. I was wrong Bonnie. Aaron deserved to live, and I took that away from him, and I never even considered the fact that hurting Jeremy would hurt you. Can you forgive me?"

"You're asking for my forgiveness?" Bonnie looked at him astonishingly.

Damon gazed at the sun-kissed beauty lovingly as the wind lightly blew her dark tresses around in her face. He slowly trailed his fingertips across her forehead, grabbing loose strands of her hair along the way and pushed them behind her ear. The move sent chills down Bonnie's spine.

"Yes, I'm asking you to forgive me. It hurts too much to have you angry with me." He rubbed her arms briskly with his cool hands. Damon had keyed in on the goosebumps running up her arms.

Bonnie looked at Damon admiringly. She rarely saw him be a man, and being a man made him even more handsome in this moment as he looked down on her with his glistening blue eyes made possible by the moisture that had collected in them.

"I forgive you." Bonnie smiled.

"Does a guilty conscience always make you feel so sick at the stomach?" Damon let out a timid chuckle and rubbed his belly.

"Sometimes, but it's a good thing, and it means that you're halfway there."

Damon smiled at her before wrapping her up in his strong arms. He placed his hand at the back of her head and cradled her securely to him as he closed his eyes and began to gently rock her.

Bonnie stood on her toes and wrapped an arm around his neck and the other over his head and pressed him tightly to her as she closed her eyes, squeezing out a tear in the process. They held each other snugly and for as long as time would permit. They finally pulled away from each other. Damon pulled the strap of his container over his head and then took Bonnie by the hands.

"Stay out of trouble while I'm gone," he teased.

"I will, and you be careful," she said.

"I promise, and you look really nice by the way."

"You think so?" Bonnie looked down at her threads and felt over her skirt.

"Hell yeah, you look great."

"Thank you, and you're doing the right thing, Damon. I'm so proud of you."

"Then I'm definitely doing the right thing if _you're_ proud of me." He returned her sweet gesture.

Damon immediately thought of Elena. Instead of her being proud of him and seeing him off to battle, she begged and pleaded to come along, risking her own life in the process. He squeezed his eyes together, bringing himself back to the moment he actually wanted to be living in.

They gave each other one last quick hug before Damon hopped on the horse-looking creature and began his slow trot into the unknown with Tupac and his men.

The men started filing out of the gate one by one. Zinnia stood next to Bonnie and they watched Damon and Tupac leave together.

Damon wanted to look back so badly at Bonnie like Tupac had done with Zinnia, but he knew there was no way he would be so lucky as to have Bonnie standing there seeing him off. He smiled outrageously at the thought of it.

Curiosity soon got the better of him. He had to know, no matter how much it would hurt to see that she wasn't there, he still had to know. He closed his eyes, took a deep sigh, and turned slowly around.

Damon's eyes widened at the sight of Bonnie Bennett still standing there to see him off. He bit his bottom lip and blinked his eyes quickly, successfully stopping his happy tears. There was no fucking way he was going to cry tears of joy at the sight of Bonnie Bennett though she definitely deserved them.

_Is she crying?_ He wondered. "Don't cry over me, Bonnie." he whispered.

Bonnie waved and he waved back and quickly turned around to face the road ahead. Not only was Bonnie looking but she was lightly sobbing over him. He was winning all around.

"Kill me now, God." He whispered as a huge grin sped across his face.


	6. Chapter 6: Heroes of Mystic Falls

**A/N:** This chapter has been newly edited, replaced, and some changes have been made. I hope you enjoy! Please leave prompts.

**Oblivion Chapter 6: Heroes of Mystic Falls**

Damon found himself looking back at the gates of Gardenia often. He did it until the gates were no longer in his view. The feeling he felt when Bonnie died came back to him played over in his head as if it were yesterday. The last thing he wanted was to be separated from her, and for the life of him, he couldn't understand why.

Why didn't he want to be away from her, now? He agreed to go to battle with Tupac and his men because he believed that Bonnie didn't want him around or that she didn't care if he lived or died. Her goodbye to him said anything _but_ that she hated him or wanted him dead.

She filled a canister with her blood. She didn't want him to be hurt. She couldn't live with herself if she didn't say goodbye to him. Bonnie Bennett was proud of him for doing the right thing which was accompanying Tupac and his men into battle. He made her proud and that made him feel proud of himself.

He smiled in thought of her goodbye to him again. He smiled even bigger when he pictured her crying for him.

He never thought in a million years that Bonnie Bennett would ever cry over him, but then again he hadn't imagined a lot of things until he came to this planet.

Damon suddenly imagined him and Bonnie as a couple and quickly lost his smile. Even if that was what he wanted, which it was in a way, and even if Bonnie wanted the same thing, he was sure she wouldn't go through with it because of Elena. Her loyalty to her friends was like no other person he had ever known. The only other person he knew whose loyalty would come close to rivaling Bonnie's was his brother's.

Also, Damon couldn't think of Bonnie without thinking of Elena, too. He was now listing the pros and cons of each relationship, which was something he had never done before either because he didn't see Bonnie in the romantic sense.

He had done so much to so many people to win Elena over. Like hurting his brother and compromising who he was in the process. He wondered how the hell he could even imagine being with anyone else _but_ Elena.

He'd chased behind her for two straight years, did every underhanded and selfish thing imaginable, and as luck and a sire bond would have it, he finally got the girl he wanted, but through the course of their love, things changed. He changed Elena. She was no longer the best version of herself. She was now an obnoxious codependent and self-absorbed watered down version of his first love, Katherine Pierce, but Bonnie Bennett had all the strengths of Katherine and none of her weaknesses.

She was a do-it-yourself girl. She didn't need anyone to hold her hand as she walked off into the unknown, alone. She was a fighter. That was all akin to Katherine Pierce.

What Bonnie had that Katherine never did, and Elena used to, was compassion; and she was selfless, sometimes to a fault. A woman like that would balance out his unbelievably selfish ways and he was finally seeing this.

Bonnie was indeed the entire package and her personality didn't change to fit her man. She remained that same woman no matter who she loved or what changes occurred in her life.

As the mantra of thoughts concerning his relationships to the women that were important or once important to him played out in his mind, he began to see why he felt so drawn to Bonnie. She was, in fact, everything he wanted and needed from a woman. If it weren't for this planet he wondered if he'd ever come to realize or admit these things to himself or if he would still remain entangled in Elena's web.

"Cheyenne, did you grab the five canisters of my friend's blood?" Tupac yelled, brutally taking Damon away from his thoughts.

"There were only three canisters of his blood left."

"Three?" Tupac inquired as he pushed his brow in to his forehead.

"Yes; one of the canisters I used, giving everyone three drops as instructed by Chogan," Cheyenne answered.

"Which was a dumb fucking idea," Damon mumbled under his breath.

"Where is the other canister?" Tupac thought aloud.

"Maybe Chogan kept it as insurance," Peyak added.

"Insurance for what?" Tupac looked at his friend with a scowl.

"Who knows. You know how Chogan is," Peyak said, not sparing his friend a glance before trotting quickly ahead of the line.

"Smells fishy to me." Damon grinned.

"So Damon, how long have you and your lady been together?"

"What, no questions about my blood, and how I'm able to walk around in the sun?" Damon wiggled his eyes at the man.

"I have tons of questions for you, but I know you won't answer them, at least not honestly, so why waste my time." Tupac flashed Damon a grin. "So, you and Bonnie?"

"We're not together." Damon answered aloofly, looking straight ahead.

"You said she was your woman and that she was special to you." Tupac darted him a puzzling look.

"She is…I mean she's special to me, but she's not my woman," Damon said seriously then clicked his jaw as he stared at Tupac with a penetrative gaze.

"Okay, so she's not your woman, but you want her to be." Tupac smiled and winked at Damon.

"Psst, please. Bonnie Bennett is a pain in my ass." Damon rolled his eyes and blushed.

"The way you screamed in protest of me hurting your woman told me she's more than just a pain in your ass. How long have you been in love with her?"

"I'm not in love with her," Damon enunciated the words vehemently, becoming angry with Tupac's accusations.

"What would be so wrong with loving Bonnie? She's a beautiful woman, and she seems to have a great head on her shoulders."

"She is a great woman, but she's a good girl, and I'm a bad boy. It'll never work," Damon replied disappointedly.

"Well, you better grab hold of her before someone else does." Tupac responded before trotting ahead to the front of the line.

::::::

The mighty gates of Gardenia were now closed. For the first time since being on Parallel Earth, Bonnie and Damon were separated.

Bonnie felt an emptiness that she hadn't since losing her Grams. Being detached from Damon made her extremely depressed. Even with Jeremy she didn't feel exceedingly disoriented by his absence like she did now. She chalked it all up to it being about Elena.

She convinced herself that if something happened to Damon her friend would blame her and she would lose her forever, but she was lying to herself and she knew it.

She and Damon had handled business and separated immediately thereafter on many occasions and she never thought one second about it, but this time things were different.

Like those times when they took down Klaus and Silas; and then, there was also the time when Damon took her to Klaus's body, which is where she performed the spell on Klaus that saved her friends as well as the bane of her existence. They always came together to save the day then parted ways without so much as a "kiss my ass" when they went their separate ways.

Now, here she was, feeling like Damon had taken half her heart with him when he left. Out of all the people in the world that she would feel lost without she never imagined Damon Salvatore being one of those people. Her stomach began to twist violently in knots and she trembled inside when she thought about him not returning to her.

The vampire had become her precious picture in a frame or that beautiful expensive piece of jewelry that was left behind after the fire, but now he was out of her sights. She could no longer protect him or watch his back.

"Well, it's just us girls now. What would you like to do today, Bonnie?" Zinnia threaded her arm through hers.

Bonnie didn't answer the woman; her eyes were still fixated on the stone gate ahead of her.

"Bonnie, are you okay?" Zinnia inquired again, watching the outlander with a concerned gaze before gently nudging her.

"Huh, what?" Bonnie gazed blankly in Zinnia's direction.

"I asked, 'What would you like to do today?'"

"Uh, I don't know. We can do whatever you guys do here in uh-," Bonnie trailed off.

"Gardenia. That is the name of our little city."

"Mmm, Gardenia. That's a beautiful name."

"Since you are not sure of what you want to do, why don't you help me make the spirits and the kidney pies for our feast tonight?"

"Feast?" Bonnie cocked her head to one side.

"When the men go away to battle, we have a big feast to celebrate their bravery, and we pray that the Gods will bring them home to us. It's a time for us women to comfort each other and to do things we normally don't do when our men are among us."

"Ahhh, I get it. It's sort of like a girls kick ass night out." Bonnie smiled, nodding as if devious thoughts were rolling around in her head.

Zinnia laughed then led Bonnie to the town hall. Once inside she led her to a table topped with large glass jugs filled with red liquid. She knew that it was wine because Zinnia had already introduced her to their spirits. The table was also covered with piles of fruit. She quickly spotted the purple fruit that Damon said she shouldn't eat, but there were piles of the fruit all over the table, so apparently the fruit wasn't dangerous if the town's people were consuming it in large quantities.

"Hey, what is the name of this fruit, and how does it affect the body or the mind?" Bonnie asked as she picked up one of the fruits from off of the table.

"This…," Zinnia picked up one of the fruits as well, "…is called passion fruit and should only be consumed in small amounts. We mix a few drops of it into our spirits to help enhance the effects. It heightens your desires, lightens your mood, and gives you the feeling of floating on clouds. I love it." Zinnia explained animatedly before resting her forehead on Bonnie's and flashing her a cute smile.

"So, have you ever kneaded dough, Bonnie?" Zinnia asked, taking Bonnie to another table. The woman dipped her hand down in to a bucket of hot foaming water. She washed her hands and then dried them off. Bonnie followed. After she was finished Zinnia handed her a small ball of dough.

"Yes. My Grams showed me."

"Grams?" Zinnia raised a brow in curiosity.

"She was my grandmother. She's the person responsible for bringing me and my friend here to your world."

"Oh, okay. Tell me about that by the way. I've been curious about where you and Damon are from and how you got here."

"We're from a little town called Mystic Falls. Also on Planet Earth." Bonnie giggled. "It was a very boring place before every supernatural being on earth discovered it." She rolled her eyes, then continued.

"Damon and I died. Well, I actually died once before to bring back my friend's little brother. He was her last surviving family member and I wanted to bring him back for her. I wanted Elena and Damon to be happy together, and I knew she would never be happy after losing her only family." Bonnie explained somberly.

"Wait, so you died, twice, and were able to come back to life?"

"Yeah, Damon was the reason I came back to life the first time. I had to come back as the Anchor, the bridge between the land of the living and a place called the Other Side, which was where the supernatural went after death." She paused. "Well, the Other Side was deteriorating and it was taking me along with it; but, my Grams came up with a spell to save me, so that's how Damon and I ended up here." Bonnie pushed her bottom lip in to her top one as she blindly prepared her dough.

"Your Grams sounds like she was an awesome person; and who is Elena? I thought Damon was _your_ man?" Zinnia looked at the woman confused.

"No, Damon is very much in love with Elena. He all but ruined his relationship with his brother to have her."

"he seems so smitten with you though. Are you sure he's not in love with you?" Zinnia asked as she blindly rolled the dough along the table.

"Heavens, no! Damon Salvatore doesn't love me." Bonnie blushed as she laughed hilariously at the idea .

"By all that is holy and right, you are in love with him." Zinnia smiled.

"No. No." Bonnie stood straight and shook her head vehemently.

"When he left today how did it make you feel?" Zinnia inquired sassily as she pushed out a knee and propped a hand on her hip.

Bonnie exhaled and looked at the woman seriously. "I'm not in love with him. I can't be in love with him. My best friend is in love with him, and she's like a sister to me. I won't betray her." Bonnie enlightened with conviction.

"What if you never make it home? What if this place is your new home? Are you okay with him moving on with one of the women here in our city? Are you okay with losing him forever?" Zinnia asked with a serious look in her eyes.

"We _will_ make it home, and I won't do anything to corrupt our newfound friendship or my bond with Elena before then. I can't do that to her."

"You are a good friend, Bonnie. I hope this Elena girl is worth your friendship and your happiness." Zinnia looked at Bonnie unsurely as she slightly shook her head at the naïve woman.

"Elena is a good friend. I'm making the right call." Bonnie smiled.

::::::

Stefan woke up to find Lucy Bennett asleep on his chest. When he was with Rebekah and Katherine, he woke up on the other side of the bed feeling guilty about sleeping with women who weren't Elena, so waking up with another woman in his grasp was something new to him.

Stefan was ready to get out of bed and get back to Mystic Falls to get things set in motion. He was ready to bring his brother back home, but there was also something else nagging at his consciousness—his conversation with Caroline.

He knew his words had hurt her but he wasn't ready to be in a relationship with anyone, at least not now. He felt emotionally detached from everything even before he turned off his humanity. Caroline was the only thing that kept him grounded as he teeter-tottered on whether to turn off his emotions or not.

He had finally made the decision to leave Mystic Falls because it hurt too much to watch Elena and Damon be so exultant together at the expense of his happiness; but instead of making a clean getaway, he met a watery grave instead.

Then after coming back from amnesia and his ripper self he bonded with Caroline. He wondered why and how he could have thrown away what they had all because he lost his brother, but he did. Stefan had always chosen Damon above all and everyone else. His brother always came first, even to Elena, but sadly, he couldn't say the same for his brother.

Damon was so selfish and hard up for Elena Gilbert that he even went so far as to carry her along with him on his suicide mission.

He loved his brother immensely, so much so that he pushed the women that he loved into Damon's arms. Now that he no longer had his emotions he realized what a wanker he was for doing such a crappy thing even to Elena, who was also a crappy individual in retrospect.

Even before she was sired to Damon she had deep feelings for him which caused her to be sired to him in the first place, and every time he thought about it he became more infuriated.

Stefan closed his eyes and pulled his thoughts back to Caroline. The fair, golden-haired ray of sunshine in his dark universe.

He looked out to his large hotel room with its neutral colors then down at Lucy's nutmeg thigh lying on his peanut buttered skinned one. He removed his hand from underneath his head and floated it down to her leg. He squeezed it and the action caused his loin to twitch in remembrance of what her warm cavity felt like around him.

His sexual appetite was insatiable. A part of him wondered what it would be like to be with Caroline, but he rather walk through fire than hurt her. She needed a real relationship and he wasn't ready to give that to her.

"Morning," Lucy whispered.

"Hey, you. You ready for round one hundred?" Stefan flashed her a lustful grin.

Lucy giggled.

Stefan crawled on top of her, pushing her legs gently apart with his knees. He pushed himself in to the place that he was now so familiar with before pinning her arms to the bed. "Mmm, you're ready for me. I like that." He moaned against her lips.

Lucy wrapped her legs around his back and Stefan started rotating inside of her.

"Oh, hey. So sorry to interrupt." Enzo smiled.

"Sure you are," Stefan hissed sarcastically.

Lucy laughed and Stefan grinned as he pulled the sheets over their bodies.

"What do you want, Enzo?" Stefan inquired happily.

"Are we still pushing off today, mate?"

"Yeah, give me five minutes."

"Fifteen. _Fifteen_ minutes," Lucy reiterated.

"Yeah, what she said." Stefan shrugged and smiled.

"Don't hurt him, Lucy." Enzo winked then left.

"Holy mother of pearl. Who the hell is it now?" Stefan grunted then grabbed his phone from off the night stand. He rolled his eyes when he saw that it was Elena. "Hello." He greeted, annoyed.

"Stefan, I'm so glad you answered. I was worried about you. Why did you hang up? Look-," she sighed. "I know I haven't been that much of a friend to you lately, but I want to be. I want things to be like they used to be between us. Talk to me, Stefan. How are you holding up?" Elena expressed sincerely.

Stefan was immediately taking in by Elena. He really wanted to believe that she actually cared about him. "Things are okay now, and I'm holding up, but I'm kind of in the middle of something right now. Can we talk when I get back to Mystic Falls?"

"Please tell me you have a spell to bring Damon back?" Elena rushed out.

Something in Stefan snapped. In mere seconds Elena went from worrying about him hanging up on her to worrying about Damon. It was official; she was never going to change. She would always play the brothers against each other for her own benefit.

Everything was always about her. She would bat her eyes and whine in her raspy voice, which was slightly annoying to anyone who didn't give a rat's ass about her, and for the first time he felt like joining that long list of people who did indeed hate her.

Stefan looked at the phone and rolled his eyes. He then sat his cell on the pillow next to him and Lucy.

He wrapped his arms around the woman and began to thrust into her. The move immediately elicited loud moans and panting from Lucy.

"Stefan. Stefan, what is that? What are you doing?" Elena's hysterical voice sounded from the phone's speaker, annoyed.

::::::

Damon, Tupac, and his men had traveled a half a day away from Gardenia. They decided to set up camp and get a little rest before traveling any further. The men built small fires, relaxed, and rested their feet.

Damon, the people person that he was, decided to spend his time with the space-aged looking horse creature. He really didn't need any of Bonnie's blood but he decided to take a few drops of it anyway. He grabbed the canister from the satchel attached to the horse, popped the lid on it then took a swig of her divine crimson essence.

Damon couldn't whip out a wallet size picture of Bonnie; her blood was his picture. He didn't mind at all having just her body fluid as a reminder of her. He closed his eyes and savored the taste of her nectar as it rolled around on his tongue. He thoroughly enjoyed every drop of her witchy goodness.

It was like a drop of honey to him; and when he drank straight from her tap, it was a magical orgasm bursting forth into his mouth, and that feeling would travel right down to the very heart of him.

He smiled in recollection of it all as he drifted down alongside the animal to the forest floor. He looked up at the three moons in the sky still grinning like an idiot. His mind soon drifted back in time when the Other Side was imploding.

He wondered why he wasn't heartbroken about his death. He got the prize; he won Elena. Shouldn't he have been more shaken up about not having more time with her? Elena rode with him to his bittersweet end, but then he traveled into the light to a whole new world with Bonnie. He couldn't help but feel that fate was trying to tell him something.

He and Elena met a tragic and bitter end, but he and Bonnie transcended to a new beginning, and they had been working together ever since to save, help, and to a certain extent comfort one another on their journey. Whether this place was a temporary or permanent home, he was glad to be sharing it with her. Secretly, he hoped that it would be the latter, even though he didn't mind, at all, going back to Mystic Falls for his brother.

He thought about Stefan off and on since he'd been on Parallel Earth, but not as extensively as he did about Bonnie and Elena.

He would make sacrifices for his brother, but when it came to Elena, he didn't. He chose her over Stefan every time, and the minute the realization settled into his wakefulness he lost his grin. His outlook turned grim. Why wouldn't he let Elena go for Stefan? That was the million dollar question.

Stefan needed to be coddled. He could handle it. His brother was perfect for Elena in every way, but he didn't care about that. All that mattered was his feelings. She was the right woman for him (so he believed).

They were two of a kind. He let out a hysterical laugh when he thought about it because that was exactly why they didn't fit. How could he be with someone that was just as selfish as him? How could they possibly make it work?

Damon's thoughts were disrupted by the loud laughter of the men. He looked over at their fire and stared at it with a vacant look in his eyes. He cocked his brow suspiciously. He heard whispering in the woods behind him which was odd. Damon flashed to his feet. He tuned out Tupac and his men and focused on the whispering in the woods.

"Is everyone in place?" A voice questioned.

"We are ready, My Lord."

"Once the order is given follow my lead."

Damon's eyes widened in horror. Tupac and his men had been betrayed. They had walked right into an ambush.

He immediately flashed to Tupac.

"Tupac, may I have a word with you." Damon clicked his jaw, offering the man a serious gaze. He had to be discreet. If the other men knew what was happening, it could cause pure pandemonium.

"Not now, outlander. I'm in the middle of something." Tupac laughed and turned back to his friends.

"I need to talk to you, right now," Damon said through gritted teeth.

Tupac looked at the man. He could sense that something wasn't right. He got up and hurried over to Damon.

"What's up, outlander? You're trying my patience."

"There are men in the woods gearing up to attack you and your men." Damon looked him square in the eye.

"No, you're wrong," Tupac said in disbelief. "How do you know?"

Damon tapped his ear lobe.

Tupac walked back over to his sword and his men. He placed his finger on his mouth for his men to be silent and then he gestured to the woods. While he was trying to inconspicuously get his men together, Peyak had other plans.

The man yelled a loud call and hundreds of horses and men came charging out of the woods. Damon snatched his gaze to the thickets as the men came charging with spears, arrows, and some even had laser weapons.

Tupac and his army were like lambs going to slaughter as their enemy gunned them down like dogs, impaling them with long spears, and plowing them in to the ground with their animals.

Tupac yelled out. The man's cry brought Damon's attention back to him and to Peyak who was standing over him with his bow.

Tupac was lying on the ground with two arrows in his chest. This enraged Damon. He didn't care that much for the leader but he respected him immensely, and he understood his cause which was to save his woman, his people, and Peyak certainly got in the way of Tupac's and the rest of the towns agenda.

Damon treaded over to Peyak, a deadly sinister look in his eyes. Peyak fiddled around in his quiver for another arrow and shot it at the outlander. Damon caught the arrow with one hand, never breaking stride. The vampire watched his foe ramble around for another arrow. He at least wanted to give the guy a chance to take him out.

Damon finally realized why Peyak didn't want the army to take a break earlier during their travels. He became even more enraged when he thought about how long the traitor had been planning to out the group to their enemy.

Peyak shot another arrow at Damon and once again he caught the weapon in a flash. His square jaws clicked furiously as he stared the man down.

His foe fiddled around in his quiver for another arrow, but it was too late. Peyak looked at Damon fearfully. In a flash, the vampire ripped out his heart. Peyak's adrenaline was exceptionally high, and he didn't even realize his heart had been ripped out until he looked at Damon's hand.

"No." The man whispered, clearly horrified. His trembling hands reached up to his chest and sure enough, there was a hole in his rib cage. Damon shoved the man to the ground with his own heart. The body hit the forest floor with a thud and his heart came plopping down on top of him.

Damon had wasted too much time on Peyak already. He rushed over to Tupac, ignoring his men dying all around them. He took the man up in his arms, a stoic look on his face.

"That motherfucker shot me. He betrayed me." Tupac struggled to say the words as he coughed up and choked on his own blood.

"Did you have my blood?" Damon asked seriously. For a fleeting moment he had thought about convincing Tupac to be his vampire brethren.

Tupac shook his head.

Damon snatched the arrows out of Tupac's chest which forced a deafening scream from the wounded man's lips. The vampire hurriedly bit into his wrist and gave Tupac his blood.

"Will…will…will it save me?" The mahogany man flashed Damon a fearful glance. He didn't want to die. Blood was all over his cheek, chin, and mouth and tears slipped down his eyes and over his temple.

"You're going to be okay," Damon answered, then laid Tupac's head back down on the ground. He grabbed the man's sword and looked out to all the men dying around him. He didn't want to be involved in these people's war, but it was either that or disappoint Bonnie and himself by abandoning them.

Damon flashed to his first soon to be victim, jabbing the weapon right into his heart. He snatched a spear from the dead man's hand before he hit the ground then propelled it through the air, killing three more soldiers with one direct hit.

Damon spotted one of the laser-like weapons on the ground. He slid across the forest floor, taking the weapon in his hand, flashed to a standing position, then fired off his first shot. The red beam struck his foe and blew the victim clear off his horse, leaving a cavernous hole in the man's chest. Damon smiled, amazed at the gun, before taking down another twenty of the soldiers in the same manner.

The more of them he killed the more it put him on their radar. He saw and could hear the leader on the horse yelling for one of the biggest damn men that Damon had ever seen in his life to take him down.

The enormous man charged for Damon but he didn't make a move. He reached down and grabbed a sword and waited for the giant to reach him. The large man swung his battle axe high up in the air. He was confident and sure that he would end the tiny vampire. Once the giant was close enough, Damon flashed to him, running his blade through his knee, which left a gaping hole in his foe's legs.

The large man fell to his knees. Damon flashed back to him and plunged the sword straight down through the top of his head then broke the blade off into his skull before pushing his dead body to the ground.

Cheyenne, Tupac's friend saw the entire incident and was amazed.

Damon flashed to two more of the laser weapons and began taking out more of the leader's men. The frontrunner grew weary of the outlander and began calling for his men to pull back but the damage had already been done.

"Cheyenne! Cheyenne!" Tupac called as he tried getting to his feet. He watched in relief as his foe retreated.

Damon and Cheyenne took off, meeting Tupac half way.

"Peyak betrayed us!"

"Do you think he gave the other bag of blood to Sultan's camp?" Cheyanne asked, winded.

"I'm sure he did, but none of them were like Damon, they're still human," Tupac replied with tears in his eyes then looked out to all his dead men.

"Ahh, fuck. Ah fuck. Fuck me!" Tupac screamed emotionally as he ran his hands over his head in frustration. "Tell me what to do, Damon?"

"Kill them. Kill them all," he answered coldly.

"No, Tupac. We can't kill them. If Sultan's people have Damon's blood he could very well make soldiers just like Damon, and not to mention that they have weapons that came from Emerald City. We need more soldiers like Damon if this is the case," Cheyenne explained passionately.

"What do you think, Damon? You seem to be in control and far capable."

"Not everyone can handle being a vampire, just ask my brother."

"Okay, well let's go get him," Tupac said seriously.

If Damon wasn't so infuriated with the entire situation he would have laughed behind that response.

"It'll be daylight soon. You need to cover and bury them in shallow graves. They won't be able to survive the sunlight without magic, and if you can find one of Sultan's men alive it would be wise to question him and find out what they plan to do next."

"Even if they knew what their next plan of action is they won't tell us. They can withstand the greatest torture, and if we can't control these creatures, how will we kill them?" Tupac asked.

"Aim for the heart, preferably with a wooden dagger, and let me handle Sultan's man. I'll get his ass to talk," Damon said confidently.

"How do you know they will talk to you?" Cheyenne inquired with a raised brow.

"I have my ways." Damon smirked.

::::::

Back in Gardenia, Bonnie was returning home from helping Zinnia and her friends with the feast. She popped back home to prepare for their girls night out. As she rushed around the little villa, she heard something hit the roof. She rushed to the door and looked around the little home with a fearful gaze.

She finally spotted the silver box that Lucy and the other witches had sent through the portal. She walked over to the box and picked it up. She looked it over suspiciously. The box suddenly popped open, startling her.

As soon as the box opened, Bonnie could feel an eerie aura in the air. The trees began to blow towards her and the wind began to howl her name, something was wrong. She could feel it in her bones.

::::::

Miles outside of town, Zinnia was going for more water, the yellow fruit, and a slug creature which made the best delicatessen to the people on the planet but not to outlanders like Bonnie and Damon who cringed at the sight of them. She wanted to make the special treat for Bonnie as well as her special tea. She had no idea that Bonnie had discovered some days back that the yellow fruit made incredible tea.

Tupac had gotten onto her on many occasions about walking the woods alone, but nothing ever happened. In Zinnia's mind, the woods were the safest place in the world to be…except for this night.

"Hello," An ominous voice called to her.

She turned around, seeing a large monstrous man looking down on her. By way of the three enormous moons in the sky, she could see that his fangs were at least two inches long, eyes were bloodshot red, fangs bulged out of his temples and black fangs swam over his entire face.

"What…what…who are you?" Zinnia trembled before him.

The man didn't answer. In a flash he grabbed hold of Zinnia's neck, draining her dry. Her body fell to the forest floor followed by her carrier. The flowers in her basket tumbled onto the ground next to her dead body. Zinnia's heart beat was no more, her lifeless amber eyes still gazing hauntingly at the three moons hanging in the sky.

The only living thing in her body now was Damon's blood. It ran vigorously through her veins and zigzagged its way quickly through the arteries in her heart. It was on a mission to complete its only task, creating a vampire.

As Zinnia lay on the ground dead, dozens of vampires flashed by her corpse en route to Gardenia to kill and destroy.

::::::

Out of nowhere, Bonnie and Damon's animal appeared.

"AHHHHH!" Bonnie screamed and went flying back up against the house. She studied the animal wearily with fearful wide eyes before realizing it was their friend from before.

"Monkey Man!" Bonnie shouted with a smile. She went leaping into the massive gorilla-like animal's arms as if it were a human being, still clutching the silver box.

The animal wrapped its arms lovingly around Bonnie and flashed all its teeth. The creature quickly pushed Bonnie away from it and began hopping up and down all wild and crazy as it pounded its fist to its chest.

"What's wrong?" Bonnie squinted oddly at the creature. The wind began to kick up more fiercely and chills traveled up and down Bonnie's body.

She rushed the canister back into the house then walked towards town, her animal friend hot on her heels. Bonnie could hear screams coming from the town square and these weren't screams of happiness. They were the screams of people calling out for help.

Bonnie quickened her pace; her animal was yards ahead of her. They finally reached the edge of town and vampires were everywhere in the streets. She quickly turned her gaze to the town square. Chogan had somehow climbed on top of the building. He was swinging a spear around frantically trying to keep a vampire from attacking him.

Bonnie was completely distracted by the town's people being attacked that she didn't even notice her animal breaking vampires' backs and necks left and right, protecting her at all cost.

She frantically looked around for Zinnia, not seeing her anywhere. She then noticed little kids dead on the streets. Her mouth dropped to the floor and her eyes widened in horror.

"Oh, my God," she gasped. She knew instantly what she had to do.

Bonnie closed her eyes. Damon said she had magic, so surely she did. How else could the creature have found her? How else was she able to start the fire at the campsite and cause it to rise twice its size without being refueled, and how was nature able to communicate with her without a magical link?

She began to chant. She didn't know a spell. All she knew was that she needed the sun to appear in the sky. Dark magic began to move through her, but she didn't know how that was possible. She was on a different planet. Surely the same spirits she contacted back home weren't here.

As Bonnie chanted, the clouds in the night sky began to violently roll around. There was suddenly a tiny break in the sky which allowed a few sun rays to peep through. Bonnie kept chanting, her magic getting stronger, but sadly her body wasn't. Cerebral bleeding quickly ensued causing her nose and ears to bleed.

This world gave Bonnie unfathomable powers, supremacies that she didn't know yet how to handle, and with her emotions being scattered about in her heart and soul for Damon, her family back home, and the people on this planet her magic was completely out of her control.

Despite the complete disarray brewing inside of her she was still able to successfully complete the spell. The clouds surrendered to the mighty ball of fire in the sky as they rolled hurriedly out of its way. The vampires in the street burst into flames. One bloodsucker dying after the other. Bonnie held off the darkness for over several minutes, long enough to successfully clear the town of the loads of leeches.

Bonnie's powers had finally ceased. She looked around, seeing that the vampires were gone. She was able to marvel at her good deed for a fleeting moment before passing out into the arms of her animal friend. The creature wiped the blood away from Bonnie's face before carrying her off to safety.

:::::

Damon, Tupac, and the survivors of the massacre had successfully covered and buried half of their militia but there was still tons more to go. Damon didn't understand how Tupac ever intended to fight in a war with only about two hundred men in the first place. Surely, they had made alliances with neighboring cities that were going to join them in battle.

"Tupac," Damon called as he beat the ground with a stick, breaking up dirt. It was no picnic digging shallow graves for masses of dead men especially with the sun scheduled to set in the sky in the next few hours.

"Yeah."

"Were you really going to war with just a couple hundred men?" Damon squinted hilariously at the thought.

"No, we were meeting our allies two days outside of Emerald City."

"Emerald City? Jesus, what is that the Wizard of Oz?" Damon joked.

"No, it's Emerald City." Tupac answered seriously.

Damon flashed the man a ridiculous grin as he batted his lashes absurdly at him then went back to digging.

"Tupac, the prisoner has healed." Cheyenne pushed one of Sultan's men brutally to the ground.

"Damon." Tupac nodded his approval for Damon to question the prisoner.

The vampire quickly crawled out of the hole. He swiftly walked over to the man and then kneeled down in front of him. He grabbed the man harshly by the face then dilated his pupils and the man's eyes mirrored Damon's. "What were your plans for Chogan's people?"

"We…we…-," The man violently shook as he feebly fought against relinquishing to Damon's power.

"We were sent to slaughter your men and destroy your home. Emerald City believes that if we destroy Gardenia it will weaken the rebels' resistance." The man struggled through his answer.

"What do you fucking mean destroy their home and how?" Damon compelled angrily.

"Peyak told us that your blood could make a supreme being. He gave us a bag of it and we made fifty of your kind and sent them to Gardenia to destroy the city and to kill all off its inhabitants."

"Bonnie." Damon whispered as he looked blankly out into the night. He slowly got to his feet, contemplating his next plan of action.

"No. Not my Zinnia," Tupac stated in an equally horrified and terrified manner.

Damon flashed to his animal; he mounted the beast then took off.

"Damon! Wait!" Tupac yelled out.

"Cheyenne, tie this bastard up. I don't want him to have Damon's powers. Finish digging the holes. At the first sign of darkness return home with the men."

"What if they wake up and we can't control them?" Cheyenne asked fearfully.

"Kill them," Tupac answered coldly before running to his beast and taking off behind Damon.

::::::

The sun began to rise. A ray of light hit Zinnia's foot. She rapidly blinked. She couldn't believe she was still alive to see another day. She felt a burning sensation on her foot right before she smelled the burning of her flesh. She lifted her head to look down at her limb, and it was indeed on fire.

"Ahhh!" She screamed then quickly stood up and tried to snuff out the flame.

Zinnia's back began to burn. She yelled out in pain before scurrying behind the biggest tree in view.

"Somebody help me! Help me! Help me!" She screamed for dear life.

The woman was not in a heavily wooded area; the trees were scattered around the forest like cones on a driving course. She would have to duck and dodge her way back home before being engulfed in a ball of fire right before she tried to pass through the large stone gates. Zinnia was in a world of trouble.

The sun was now fully emerged. Bonnie could feel the heat against her skin. She slowly opened her eyes, squinting as her gaze adjusted to the bright light shining down upon her. Her animal friend's fur was in her face and against her lips. She grabbed her forehead. She had a headache unlike she had ever felt before.

"Ow." She moaned as she sat up in the creature's arms. She looked at the sky and out to the woods. Her creature had taking her up into the one of the tallest trees in the forest for sanctuary. Bonnie looked off into the distance. She could faintly see the town.

"Come on. Let's go," she said and the animal cradled Bonnie tightly in its arms then jumped out of the tree, landing on its feet.

It began trotting toward the town, and the only person on Bonnie's mind was Damon. She hoped with all her heart that he had returned or at the very least she prayed that he was okay wherever he was. She just needed to see him. She needed to know that he was okay. Damon being okay was all that mattered to her in this moment.

It took Damon and Tupac less time to return to Gardenia than it did to leave. They gave their animals no mercy. They ran them without rest and as fast at their hooves would carry them. The animals on this planet were much stronger and faster than back on his Planet Earth, which was another win in their calamitous situation.

They came riding through the gates of the town like mad men, expecting to see the worst. There was chaos in the streets, but the city was still livable. There was minor damage to some shops and dead bodies on the street which was disheartened but nothing screamed complete devastation of the parish.

Damon jumped off his creature and flashed to his and Bonnie's villa. She wasn't there and he immediately became agitated. He turned around in a circle, gripping the hair at the top of his head angrily, and in true Damon fashion he began tearing up the place.

On the other side of town, Tupac was doing the very same thing after realizing Zinnia and his children weren't home. He tore out of the house and ran to the town's square and inside the town hall building. Inside he lucked out. He located his two children but still he didn't find his wife.

"Daddy!" his son called out and ran quickly to him. The woman holding his baby girl took off after the boy. Tupac kneeled down and held his arms out to his son.

"My boy." He closed his eyes as he clutched his son tightly to him.

"Niaran," he whispered his little girl's name and ran his fingers through her hair. "Where is Zinnia?" he asked winded.

"I don't know. I haven't seen her. We've looked all over town for her. Maji said she believed she went to the woods for a Linton and hala."

"Shit! Watch my children!"

Damon ran from home to home and shop to shop, still not finding Bonnie. Everything was closing in on him. He felt like he was suffocating. His chest began to hurt. He grabbed his upper body and squeezed his eyes tightly shut. He had to keep it together. Bonnie had to be alive. She had to.

He whimpered slightly before turning around in the village again. Bonnie had to be here. He needed to see her run down the street, screaming she was okay because there was no Silas, Amara, or Qetsiyah on this planet. There was no magical person that he knew of that would take him to the bowels of hell to get her back, and yes, Damon Salvatore would go to hell and back; he would walk on the sun if it meant saving Bonnie.

"Damon." He heard a voice call to him. It was male and the sound of it made him want to rip the head off the dick with balls heading his way.

If they weren't Bonnie then they had no reason to call his name, unless they wanted sudden death. Damon finally turned around to see it was Tupac. _So maybe I don't kill this one,_ he said internally.

"I can't find Zinnia." Tupac sounded and looked like he was seconds away from crying.

"What's wrong with you? You look like you've seen a ghost." Tupac asked.

"I can't find Bon…Bonnie," Damon stammered, whispering them in an aching voice.

"I think I may know where they are. We'll go together." Tupac shot Damon a pitiful look before walking away.

As Damon turned to follow Tupac he heard his name being called, yet again. He whipped his head in the direction of the voice, her voice. It was Bonnie Bennett.

Damon's eyes widened in astonishment. He wanted to flash to her, but the weight of the emotional hell he'd felt not seconds ago of the absolute worse happening was still there. It was like an anvil sitting at the pit of his stomach. He started walking towards her, dragging his feet. It was the most he could muster.

Bonnie saw Damon's beautiful chiseled face looking at her. She let out a relieved laughing cry. She jumped out of her animal's arms and walked swiftly towards her friend. She then began to jog to him, her body having a mind of its own.

She'd just experienced the roughest night and she couldn't wait to be in the presence of a familiar face.

Damon saw Bonnie quicken her pace. He wanted to do the same, but he was still weighted down with overwhelming emotions. He left Bonnie not twenty-four hours ago, or more. He had to fight in a war not of his own making and then find that the village where he left his dear friend was under attack as well.

He was there to protect her, and that was all he wanted to do since God knows when, and if he had to be honest with himself he was sure that he had wanted to protect Bonnie for as long as he could remember.

Never had being reunited with a friend felt so good, refreshing, and heart-wrenching as they trotted to each other like two estranged lovers. With Elena it never felt this euphoric. She was always tied to his balls and in his hair in some type of way.

For the first time he finally knew what the phrase 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' felt like.

"Damon! Damon!" Bonnie cried though her dazzling smile, but Damon couldn't cry.

He was too elated and amazed. He was paralyzed with a plethora of emotions. No tears or sounds of any kind could escape. He needed to hold her in his arms. That was the only thing that would calm his weeping soul and anxious heart.

They were finally within reaching distance of each other. Bonnie opened her arms and leaped into Damon's arms and he was right there to receive her.

He caught her in his clutches and twirled her around as he held her tightly in his grasp. He cradled her head into his neck and looked out into the world with wide, moist, glistening blue eyes.

"I was so worried about you," Bonnie cried.

"I know. I know," Damon chanted in a winded voice, still holding on to Bonnie as if she would slip away to obscurity.

Tupac watched them all the while as he followed quickly behind Damon.

"I see your woman is okay?" Tupac inquired slyly. In his mind Bonnie was Damon's woman. The vampire's actions spoke louder than words.

"She's more than okay. She's alive, and she's here with me." Damon placed Bonnie gently back on the ground, holding her gaze. He ran a finger over her forehead and trailed it down her face.

Bonnie looked at him with a penetrative gaze. She had seen this face of Damon's before. It was the same look he gave her when they left Mystic Falls. She had never seen him look at anyone this way before that night; not even Elena.

He looked at her with the most beatific of faces. It pleased her and frightened her all at once. Bonnie swallowed nervously under his gaze. She'd give anything if Damon Salvatore would kiss her lips, just one kiss was all she wanted or needed.

"I'm glad that you two have been reunited but will you please help me find Zinnia?" Tupac asked with his arms folded over his chest. He waited but still he got no answer from the two love birds.

_God I want to kiss her. Look at the way she's looking at me. She likes me. I can feel it_, Damon thought.

"Hello!" Tupac yelled.

"Huh!" Bonnie rushed out and flashed the man a startled look.

"What, God damn it!" Damon yelled as he snapped his head over to Tupac.

"Zinnia!" Tupac yelled back angrily.

"Oh, yeah. Lead the way," Damon replied.

"Wait. We should get a blanket," Bonnie said quickly and then ran back in to the house.

"Why do we need that?" Damon asked as Bonnie hurriedly exited the villa.

"Intuition," Bonnie replied.

Tupac knew exactly where Zinnia would be. He took them out the back way of the village which was near Bonnie's and Damon's villa. They ran like bats out of hell in the direction of the creek where Zinnia went on most nights.

Damon turned on his vampire hearing. He stopped dead in his tracks then called for Bonnie and Tupac to do the same.

"Wait! I think I hear her," he said, bending his knees, his arms up in the air as he slowly turned in the direction of the woman's voice.

"Somebody help me! Please!" Zinnia yelled.

Damon snatched the blanket out of Bonnie's hands and flashed toward the woman's cries. Within a couple of minutes the woman was in view. She was huddled behind a tree, dodging the sun.

"Zinnia, what the hell?" Damon whispered before flashing over to her, kneeling down in front of her.

"The sun is burning me. Why the fuck does it burn?" Zinnia was hysterical as she screamed, shook, pulled at her hair, and pounded her fist against Damon's chest.

"Oh, God. You're a vampire," Damon whispered in horror.

"What the fuck did you do to me?! What the fuck did you do to me?!" The woman yelped in a high pitched, hoarse voice and began to violently cry.

Damon threw the blanket over her head and flashed her back to Bonnie and Tupac.

"Meet me at our place." Damon rushed out after reaching them, then zoomed away.

"What the hell is going on?" Tupac yelled to a fleeing Damon.

"Oh no." Bonnie whispered and then took off behind Damon, Tupac quick on her heels.

Damon zoomed Zinnia in to their villa. He placed her on the floor and closed the shutters to the house in a flash. He ran back to her and ripped the cover from over her head.

"What have you done to me?!"

"You need to calm down," Damon demanded.

Zinnia grabbed Damon by his shirt and threw him up against the wall. Damon sat up slowly and shook off the blow. He flashed back over to her, grabbing her by the wrist.

"Calm down," he compelled.

Zinnia's chest rose and fell slowly as she looked into Damon's eyes.

"Why am I able to see your eyes with such crystal clarity? Why am I able to see everything in this room so well and it's pitch black?"

"It's one of your gifts."

"I feel this hunger inside of me. I don't like it. I don't want to be this. Please kill me," she cried.

"Zinnia, I love being a vampire, and I wouldn't change it for anything in the world. I can show you how to live with this. It won't be easy but you can do it. I hardly know you, but I know you're strong. It takes a strong person to live with an incurable disease, knowing what the outcome will be and still find the courage to smile and face the day. You are extraordinary, Zinnia."

"...ut I can't enjoy the sun, and I love it." Zinnia looked pitifully at Damon as moisture poured from all the orifices on her face.

"There is a way you can walk in the sun again and the simple things in life that you take for granted they will never feel as good to you as they will now."

"Like what?" She sniveled.

Damon pulled her closer to him, turning her back to his front. He wrapped his arms around her and held tightly to her wrist. He blew into her neck. Zinnia closed her eyes and smiled as Damon's breath tickled her senses. He then ran his fingers down her face. Never before had she known a simple touch could feel so intense and beautiful.

Damon rocked her in his arms. "See, doesn't this feel wonderful?" He whispered into her ear.

Zinnia nodded quickly.

Tupac and Bonnie soon rushed in to the villa, Bonnie practically pushing the man inside.

"Hey!" Tupac yelled.

"Sorry!" Bonnie giggled.

"Zinnia, where are you?" Tupac shouted into the dark house.

"I'm here," Zinnia responded in a trembling voice.

"Here, we'll leave you two alone," Damon said before taking Bonnie by the arm and leading her quickly out of the house.

"So, she's a vampire?" Bonnie asked as soon as they closed the door behind them and descended from the steps.

Damon nodded.

"This is bad. What happened? Why are you two back so soon from the battle?"

"It was a fucking ambush, and that's not even the bad news."

"What?" Bonnie looked at him worriedly.

"They took out almost half of Tupac's army. Zinnia is not the only vampire we have to worry about."

"There may even be more. Dozens of them swarmed the town last night, but I was able to defeat them with my magic," Bonnie imparted proudly.

"So, you _do_ have your powers back?" Damon flashed in front of Bonnie, invading her personal space.

"Yeah, and Monkey Man is back," Bonnie added happily.

"Who?" Damon squinted at Bonnie.

"Our animal friend!" Bonnie smiled excitedly.

"Jesus, Bon Bon. You can't call our baby 'Monkey Man.'" Damon chuckled and propped his hands on his hips.

"Our baby?" Bonnie inquired. Immediately she thought about little Bonnies' and Damons'. _Get it together, Bon Bon,_ she reprimanded herself.

"Yeah, that was a bad choice of words. I'm sorry. Our pet," he corrected.

"No. I'm okay with 'our baby,' and his name is Monkey Man."

"He'll never be okay with that name, Bonnie." Damon folded his arms casually over his chest and smiled.

"Well, I called him Monkey Man, and he liked it," she said sassily.

"What, he flashed you his big ole teeth?" Damon flashed Bonnie all his pearly whites and pushed his face into hers.

Bonnie let out a hearty laugh. "No, he didn't flash me his teeth, but he loves the name, so now."

"Unf…okay." Damon rocked on the bottom of his heel and the balls of his feet. An awkward silence quickly arose as they gazed affectionately at each other.

Bonnie's happy visage soon became a somber one as she thought about her magic failing her. She didn't want to die and leave Damon alone in this world.

"What's wrong?" Damon placed his hands on her upper arms and gently caressed them. The move comforted her.

"My magic is really powerful on this planet. I felt like my body was on fire. I can't control my magic, Damon. I passed out," she explained worriedly.

"Don't worry yourself. You'll conquer handling your powers, and I'll help you," Damon said still rubbing her arms.

"You promise?" Bonnie asked, childlike.

"I give you my word." He smiled sweetly at her.

Bonnie gazed at him lovingly. They stared at each other for moments, slightly smiling.

A yearning filled Damon as he trailed his hands down her arms to her fingers. He grabbed Bonnie's hand and twirled his thumbs around the back of hers and exhaled.

Bonnie's breath mimicked his. They both wanted so much more than what they were doing right now, but they were both too afraid of rejection.

"I'm so glad you're alive, Bonnie. I thought-."

She stopped Damon mid-sentence. "It's okay. You won't lose me, Damon. I'll always be here for you."

"…and I'll always be here for you." Damon smiled before taking Bonnie into his embrace. He squeezed her tightly to him, cradling her head against his shoulder.

Bonnie smiled as Damon held her close. She squeezed her arms tighter around his neck. All was right with the world, once more.

"I found a silver box, last night. It looked like it might be from home," Bonnie said, disturbing their moment.

"Are you sure?" Damon stared out into the world with a worried look in his eyes as he twirled strands of Bonnie's hair around his finger. He suddenly realized that he wasn't ready to return home. In fact, he didn't think he ever wanted to return to Mystic Falls.


	7. Chapter 7: Drumming Sound

**A/N:** I hope you enjoy it. I really like this chapter and I really like the one after. ;)

**Oblivion Chapter 7: Drumming Sound**

"I'm pretty sure the box is from back home. I haven't seen anything like it here in Gardenia." Bonnie finally broke away from their embrace.

Damon still held her hands in his. He wasn't ready to let her go. He sighed as he looked at Bonnie in thought. He had experienced so much in the last twenty-four hours. He wasn't ready for another bout of adventure, but he supposed that this was his life now, being related to a doppelganger and all.

"We'll take a look at the box once we take care of Zinnia. Will you spell her a daylight ring?"

"Are you sure?" Bonnie looked at him inquisitively.

"Yes. What, you don't think we should?" Damon furrowed his brow.

Bonnie exhaled, darting her eyes at the house then back at Damon.

"If she's not able to control her thirst for blood a ring will give her free reign to run rampant day and night. I have to think about the safety of these people," Bonnie explained seriously. She never lost sight of the bigger picture and the consequences of her choices.

Damon let out a low chortle. "There's the Bonnie I know and admire."

"I'm trying to do the right thing by these people, Damon," Bonnie said, snatching her hands away from his, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Now, now, don't get angry." Damon batted his eyelashes at her as he took her by the hands once again. He kissed the backs of both of them. He really wanted to kiss her lips but he settled for her hands. "I know you are trying to do the right thing, but Zinnia has a good heart. She's sweet. She reminds me of you," he said sweetly.

Bonnie flashed him an unbelieving look. She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and nervously bit her bottom lip.

"Okay." Bonnie folded like putty in Damon's hands.

"Thank you, Bonnie." He flashed her a smoldering glance.

They both turned their gaze to the door as Tupac exited the house, a dismal look on his face.

"So…my wife is what you are." He exhaled, propping his hands on his hips. "What does this mean for me and my family?" Tupac asked, his eyes watering.

"You and your family will be fine, and she's not a vampire, yet. She needs human blood to transition. If she doesn't feed soon, she will…," Damon trailed off, crossing his arms over his chest, a grim look quickly covering his face.

"Blood?" Tupac crinkled his brow in disbelief.

"Vampires need blood to survive."

"Blood from an animal or human blood?" Tupac flashed him a worried look.

"I prefer human, but she'll probably feed on animals." He smiled.

"This is getting better and better. She can't walk around in the sun, and the only way she can survive is by feeding on blood," Tupac replied then chuckled absurdly at the idea of it all.

"Damon is able to walk in the sunlight because of his ring. I will be glad to make one for Zinnia. If she has a piece of jewelry that adorns a gemstone I can spell it for her."

"She has a precious stone in her betrothal bracelet. Will that work?" Tupac asked, a gloomy expression on his face.

"That's perfect." Bonnie nodded.

"Good, and what about all of my men? Can we make one for them, too?"

"No, not until I'm sure that they can be trusted to be around humans," Bonnie explained.

"Fair enough," Tupac answered. "Damon, I've asked Cheyenne to bring the men home as soon as dark is upon us."

"What?" Bonnie stated incredulously. "You can't bring them back here. They will be a danger to everyone in the city." She protested. "Damon, we can't allow them back in this village."

"I know." Damon pushed his brow in to his forehead. "Damn it," he groaned.

"I can't leave my men stranded and homeless," Tupac argued back.

"Okay, I think I may know a way. Since the town hall is the first building once through the gates, I can set up a barrier around the rest of the town and they can use the town hall for shelter."

"How do we weed out the weak individuals?" Tupac inquired.

"They'll be the one's trying to tear everyone else apart." Damon smirked.

Tupac rolled his eyes at Damon's comment. "Great." He exhaled. "I was so happy knowing that my wife would have a second chance at life, and now she's this _thing_, some bloodsucking leech." Tupac shook his head.

"Your wife is not a _thing_. She's a _vampire_ with feelings." Damon frowned.

Tupac looked at Damon shamefully.

"Will this affect her personality? Will it affect who she is?"

"Being a vampire doesn't change who you are. It does enhance your personality traits, and we do tend to be a bit more emotional," Damon teased.

Tupac timidly smiled. He was pleased with his answer. "I'll explain everything to Zinnia, and I'll bring you her bracelet," he said as he shifted his gaze slowly from Damon to Bonnie before he hurried back inside their home to Zinnia.

"Hey," Tupac said, looking at Zinnia, fatigued. "You've lit the candles."

"Yeah, I figured you'd be more comfortable being able to see me." She smiled. "I probably should have left it dark. This place is a pigsty." Zinnia laughed as she looked around at the mess Damon had made earlier when he was looking for Bonnie.

"If you think their place is a mess, you should see ours," Tupac mocked.

"Tupac," Zinnia said sweetly, then giggled.

"You know how I get about you," he sweetly replied.

"I know, but you know I'm not going anywhere."

"...but something could've happened to you. Twice I almost lost you woman. My heart can't take it."

"...and now you won't have to worry about losing me."

"Yes, about that. Damon says that you need blood, and soon, or you'll die."

"Blood, from who?" Zinnia asked hysterically.

"Uh…uh...oh here," Tupac stated eagerly as a bright idea came to mind. He then dug his dagger out of his boot and cut a medium sized wound into the palm of his hand.

Zinnia vamped up immediately as the smell of his blood drifted through the air. She slapped her hands over her mouth after feeling her incisors push through her gums.

"Zinnia, what is it?" Tupac grabbed the candle off the wall and walked closer to his wife. "Guahh." The sight of her startled him. He quickly stepped back.

"Oh, God. Am I ugly?" Zinnia inquired in a trembling voice, tears in her eyes.

Tupac took a hard swallow and shook his head. He didn't know what to say. She would always be beautiful to him, but there was something about all the black veins swimming across her entire face, the bulging veins on her temples, and her extremely large canine like teeth that took him completely off guard.

The vampires on this planet were indeed different. She was no Nosferatu but she wouldn't win any beauty pageants in this form either.

"No. No. You're not ugly. You'll always be beautiful to me." Tupac smiled after invading her personal space.

"You sound like a mother trying to convince her hideous child that she's beautiful when in fact she's utterly ghastly," Zinnia replied emotionally slightly sniffling. Tupac chuckled.

"I don't know if I can do this." Tears fell from her eyes and rolled down her freckled cheeks.

Tupac grabbed a strand of her strawberry hair and twirled it around his finger. "You can do this. You're a goddess; the world will tremble at your feet. Be proud of this gift. Walk with your head held high. Damon revels in what he is, and you should, too," he explained with conviction.

Zinnia smiled at him as if she were a little girl. She was Tupac's queen and he was always there to remind her of that.

"Now, take my blood." He held his hand up to her mouth and just as Zinnia was about to take a few drops of his blood Damon flashed in to the home for the silver box.

"Damn!" Damon rushed out after seeing Zinnia. He hurriedly slapped a hand over his mouth, widening his eyes in disbelief at his own statement.

Tupac glared at Damon, and Zinnia rolled her eyes.

Damon rocked on the ball and the heel of his feet and blindly picked up the box from off the table. He pushed his bottom lip in to his top one and widened and narrowed his eyes awkwardly at the couple.

"You are very beautiful, Zinnia." Damon lied.

"Shut the hell up and give this to, Bonnie." Tupac mouthed as he shoved Zinnia's betrothal bracelet in to Damon's hand.

"You got it." Damon backed slowly up towards the exit then flashed out of the room.

"Never mind him, darling," Tupac said as he cupped her chin with his finger and thumb.

His smile instigated one from his wife.

Zinnia took Tupac's hand and fed from him. She was tender with her husband as she siphoned his blood. Her husband was feeling some type of way about her ministration. Her feeding from him pleased and slightly aroused him.

Zinnia slowly pulled away from Tupac. She gazed yearningly at him.

"I want to kiss you. Is it okay?" Tupac dare not say anything about her elongated incisors. He chose his words carefully in this moment.

Zinnia slowly retracted her fangs. She rolled her tongue around her teeth peculiarly. "It didn't hurt. I was afraid it would." She smiled.

"Good." Tupac smiled back.

Zinnia grabbed him by the face and greedily kissed him on the lips. The kiss became hot and heated quickly. Tupac gripped her waist firmly as he deepened their kiss. She flashed him up against the wall and then ripped off his clothes. Tupac chuckled, surprised by her newfound strength.

"Are you kidding me?" Damon mouthed.

"What?" Bonnie raised her brow.

"They're screwing in our house," he huffed.

"Oh, my god." Bonnie widened and closed her eyes, trying to shake the visual of Zinnia and Tupac getting it on out of her head. "Okay, well...let's see what's inside the box." She reached for the container and Damon seemed reluctant to give it to her.

Bonnie squinted her eyes oddly at him. Damon looked down at the box for a tick before giving it to Bonnie along with Zinnia's bracelet.

"Okay," She exhaled. "Here goes." Bonnie slipped the woman's bracelet on her wrist for safe keeping then opened the container to find a letter. She handed the box back to Damon then opened the paper. Her eyes quickly darted across the letter. He watched her all the while with a weary expression.

"The note is from Lucy and Stefan. Lucy thinks she can bring us back if I open up a portal here on this side as well. She shared the spell she used with me so that we can reply back to them with our plans." Bonnie paused. "…and there's something else," she said hesitantly.

"What?" Damon's heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. If something happened to Elena he wasn't sure how he would handle it. He may have been wavering on wanting to return home but he didn't want Elena dead.

"Stefan says that Elena's not taking it well. He feels that if you're not back soon she may try to take her own life."

"No." Damon slightly shook his head in protest. "Okay, let them know we're opening up a portal on this side. We need to get back home, _now_," he said seriously, practically demanding that Bonnie do his bidding.

Bonnie rolled her eyes, peeved. This was not the reaction she was expecting from herself in regards to turning home to her friend whom was completely distraught, but secretly she had been fed up with her friend for quite some time now. The night when she worked so tirelessly to bring back all of her friends dead drinking buddies and what not, no one seemed to care that she was dying.

The only person that Elena cared about was her precious Damon and how she couldn't live without him. Not once did she notice or even care that she was in pain and coughing up blood. Now, here Damon was, doing that very same thing, thinking of only Elena and not the people of Gardenia and this did not sit well with Bonnie.

"I'll inform Lucy that I'm opening up a portal for you to go back, but I'm not leaving these people until their lives have returned to normal."

"I'm not leaving here without you, Bonnie," Damon protested. "We came together; we leave together. Now, we need to go back and save Elena. You know, your best friend," he reminded heatedly.

"Elena needs to save herself because I'm done." Bonnie tried to walk away but Damon grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her back to him.

"This is your friend, Bonnie. You know the one you died for just so she could be happy. How can you walk away from her now when she needs you the most?" Damon tried appealing to her better nature.

Bonnie stared at a serious-looking Damon for a moment. Now she understood why she was so reluctant to be with him romantically. He would never be able to let Elena go and neither could she, to some degree.

"No matter what happens in your life, everything will always be about Elena. I'm not going back. I will create a spell for you. You can go, but I won't leave these people. I can't." Bonnie snatched away from Damon then marched away, leaving him alone with a dumbfounded look on his face.

::::::

An hour later, Bonnie returned home to see Damon sitting on the steps outside of their little home. She stopped mid-stride once spotting him and rolled her eyes. She didn't want to talk to him right now. How could he be so selfish? How could he want to return home to Elena when these people needed them?

A part of her was angry about that but another part of her was even angrier with herself because deep down she thought that Damon could actually care for her more than he did Elena, and to know that she was wrong hurt her ego.

Damon watched her standing in the middle of the road. He could see that she was in deep thought, and he knew her thoughts were about him and them returning home. He couldn't believe that Bonnie would stay here on this planet knowing that her friend would die.

Damon didn't want to return home, but once again, Elena's poor choices forced his hand. A part of him knew that once he saw Elena that he would go running back to her; no matter how good it felt being away from her and despite how wonderful things were between him and Bonnie, he would go back to Elena (he feared).

His relationship with Bonnie was evolving. He was feeling things for her and he wished, sometimes, that he didn't. Damon stared at Bonnie for as long as he could stand. He got up from the steps, brushed off the back of his jeans, and slowly walked over to her.

The minute Bonnie saw him coming she started walking swiftly towards town, trying to avoid him, but Damon wasn't letting her off that easily.

"We're going to talk about this, Bon Bon." he stated seriously.

"There's nothing more to say. I will open up a portal for you after we take care of Tupac's men and you can go home and save Elena."

"I'm not leaving here without you. I can't protect you if we're billions of miles apart!" he huffed.

What Damon really wanted to say, was that he couldn't spend copious amounts of time with her if she were on another damn planet.

"Yes, you are going back without me, and I don't need your protection, Damon. Now let me go." Bonnie rolled her eyes, then quickly walked inside of their little villa. "Is everyone completely clothed?" she asked with her hand over her eyes.

"Yes, and I'm so sorry, Bonnie. We weren't on the bed I swear," Zinnia explained shamefully.

Damon hurried in to the house, next once hearing that the coast was clear. He almost knocked Bonnie over in the process.

"Hey!" She shouted. She was still annoyed with him.

"Sorry," he apologized.

"I spelled your bracelet, Zinnia." Bonnie held the piece of jewelry out for the woman to take.

"Spelled?" She looked curiously at Bonnie.

"Damon is able to walk amongst the sun because of a spell that was cast on his ring. He asked me to do the same for you," Bonnie enlightened seriously.

"Damon, you did this for me?" Zinnia smiled sweetly at him.

"Yes. You deserve it." He returned her smile.

Zinnia put the bracelet on her wrist. "Okay, what do I do now?"

Bonnie felt her way over to the window then cracked the shutters. "We'll need to test it first. Place your hand in front of the light," she instructed.

Zinnia walked slowly over to the window and pushed her hand in front of the ray of light shining through the opening. She smiled when she realized the sun wasn't scorching her skin like before. "It works!" She giggled happily.

Zinnia quickly hurried back to her husband and gave him a tight hug.

"Bonnie, Damon, thank you so much." Zinnia beamed.

"Yes, thank you both. We will have a big feast tonight in your honor, and for our fallen." Tupac smiled.

"Damon won't be here. I'm going to try and open up a portal so he can go home to the love of his life, Elena," Bonnie said with a hint of disdain in her voice as she opened up the shutters to the house, letting the sunlight in.

"What?" Damon frowned at Bonnie and her absurd comment. "I'm going home because she might kill herself," he said, annoyed.

"Elena?" Zinnia questioned.

"The one and only." Bonnie rolled her eyes.

"Who is Elena, and why does she want to kill herself?" Tupac asked with a raised brow.

"Elena is Damon's life. They can't live without each other, and now that Elena has lost him, she wants to die," Bonnie explained incredulously.

Zinnia and Tupac gave each other an uncomfortable look.

"She's not my life! I feel responsible for her, that's it. I don't want her to kill herself. If it was Jeremy you'd be outside whipping up a damn portal right now!" Damon declared angrily.

Bonnie's mouth went ajar, her eyes like saucers as she snatched her gaze over to Damon. She was rendered speechless by his remark because she knew he was right. She didn't want Jeremy to kill himself over her either. She'd move heaven and earth to prevent him from doing such a thing.

"Sounds like this Elena wants a lot of attention. Ugh." Zinnia frowned.

Damon flashed her a knowing look.

"You're right. I probably would have run home to save Jeremy, but unlike you, we're not two selfish and sex-crazed, co-dependent individuals."

"Well, at least we don't have trust issues, and unlike your boyfriend, I'm not a cheater."

"Well, at least…at least…I don't have to take this shit from you." Bonnie couldn't think of a comeback. "I'm out of here!" she screamed.

"Bye!" Damon yelled back.

"You don't say 'goodbye' to me. I say 'goodbye' to you!" she yelled

"Au revoir; arrivederci; _goodbye_!" Damon shouted.

"Fuck you!" Bonnie hollered.

"You won't let me!" Damon bellowed.

"Ugh!" Bonnie gasps, then ran out of the house.

"AHHHHHH!" Damon roared before kicking their table up against the wall, obliterating it.

"I'll go get her," Zinnia offered.

Tupac burst into a fit of laughter.

"What the fuck are you laughing at?"

"You two are so in love. Bonnie will be the end of you."

"I'm not in love with her. Bonnie Bennett is a pain in my ass. Fuck!"

"If you two don't have sex soon, you're going to kill each other." Tupac shook his head. "Look, I know you don't want your former beloved to die, but maybe it's time you let her go. Elena will heal and learn to love again."

"Yeah, maybe," Damon said gloomily as he picked up a chair to sit down.

"Listen, I've been meaning to speak with you about staying here in our parish. If you plan on making Gardenia your home, we require that you take on responsibilities to help keep our town running smoothly. I would love it if you would be captain of my guard and help me watch over the city."

"Sure, whatever," Damon answered distractedly, not sparing the man a glance.

"Come on, let's go have a drink at the tavern. We need to get you calm down." he tittered.

:::::

"Bonnie, wait up," Zinnia called.

She stopped in her tracks and waited for Zinnia to reach her.

"You're angry but don't be. Damon is crazy about you."

"Well, he has a funny way of showing it."

"I get it, Bonnie. You think he doesn't care about you because he wants to return home to save his old flame, but that's simply not true," Zinnia said, shedding light on the situation.

"Why does he have to go to her? Why is it that when Damon has to choose between saving Elena or someone else he always chooses her. He's so selfish," Bonnie proclaimed passionately as she abruptly turned to face Zinnia, a disappointed look in her eyes.

"I don't know, Bonnie, but from what Tupac has told me, Damon cares deeply for you. He believes he's in love with you." She paused. "I sense that you've lived in Elena's shadow for a long time. It's time to come out. Tell Damon how you feel." Zinnia implied sweetly as she gently rubbed Bonnie's back.

"I can't. Elena's my best friend. It wouldn't be right." Bonnie lowered her head, thinking.

"Maybe it's you who needs to break up with Elena." Zinnia lightly giggled.

"Damon belongs with Elena. They're really in love. What I feel for him is infatuation, lust. You know, wanting what you can't have. Damon is mysterious, handsome, fearless, and passionate. He loves with everything in him, and I admire that about him." Bonnie looked vacantly out at the town, beaming as she talked about Damon, a yearning look in her eyes.

"You are so serious, Bonnie. Have you ever thought about letting go? You need to unwind, and I know just the thing for you." Zinnia smiled. "Come on." They wrapped their arms around each other's and walked hurriedly through the town's square.

:::::

An hour had passed and Damon and Tupac had already shared two pitchers of liquor.

Tupac tried getting Damon to open up to no avail. He spent the majority of his time conversing with his comrades whilst the vampire drank one drink after another. It took a whole lot of drinking to get even the slightest buzz. It would be a long night for Damon; he was sure of this.

"Zinnia." Tupac smiled as his wife swiftly walked over to him.

"Hello, love. May I speak with you outside?" she asked.

"Where's Bonnie?" Damon turned quickly around, not seeing Bonnie.

"She's at home, cleaning up." Zinnia lied.

Damon nodded then turned back around to the bar.

Zinnia and Tupac hurried outside. Once outdoors, Zinnia giggled. She was tickled pink by something and Tupac wanted to know why.

"What are you up to woman?"

"The ladies and I will be spending the day at the creek, and I was wondering if you would bring Damon by. Maybe let him peep in on Bonnie." She sneakily grinned.

"You're so bad." He wiggled his brow at her.

"We need to help Bonnie and Damon discover each other, and Bonnie needs to let go of her inhibitions and take care of herself," Zinnia imparted.

"…and Damon knows what he wants but fear is keeping him from telling her the truth about how he feels," Tupac added.

"So, you're okay with my plan?"

"Yes," Tupac answered.

"Alright, Bonnie's waiting for me. Don't let me down." Zinnia warned.

"We'll be there shortly. I promise" Tupac kissed his wife on the lips, then returned to Damon.

::::::

Bonnie laid sprawled out by the creek listening to the women talk. Even though their voices were like a chorus humming all around her they still didn't distract her from thinking about Damon Salvatore. Why did he need to go back? She realized she was being ridiculous for being angry with him for caring about Elena's wellbeing. If he didn't care, she would be angry with him for taking it too lightly.

Originally, Bonnie didn't have ambitions to be first in anyone's heart. She was used to being second best and second choice. She accepted it with her parents and with her boyfriend Jeremy who chose a ghost, his sister, and Liv over her every time.

When Damon came along things were different. Though Elena was the woman who set his heart on fire, he always made room for her. No one had ever fought more valiantly for her than Damon. Her Grams was the only other person that cared for her in that same capacity.

Bonnie assumed that being adamant about not leaving would make Damon change his mind about going as well, but if it came down to him choosing a suicidal and insane Elena over a woman who had all her faculties and could take care of herself, he would chose the suicidal chic, of course. Bonnie rolled her eyes outwardly in thought of everything.

If she believed for one minute that after they returned home that she and Damon could still have the same relationship, she would go back in a heartbeat, but it wasn't guaranteed. Nothing with them was.

::::::

"Where the hell are you taking me, Tupac?" Damon dragged out.

"Whenever I feel down or when Zinnia and I have an argument, I go for a long walk in the woods. It helps to calm my mind," Tupac replied.

"Well, whenever I feel down I just rip out someone's heart." Damon smirked.

"Ooh, Damon, we don't do that," Tupac said at Damon's outrageous comment. "Tell me more about Zinnia's gifts?"

"She can move at the speed of sound, she can hear an insect crawling on a leaf, she can see a speck of dust from yards away, and then there's my personal favorite—compulsion. She can compel a person to do whatever she wants," Damon said proudly.

"Really?" Tupac swiftly turned around to face Damon.

"Really." Damon wiggled his eyes.

"Have you compelled anyone since you've been here?"

"The prisoner from the other night," Damon answered.

"Can Zinnia's blood heal people, too?"

"Yes, and if she's ever severely injured give her some of your blood and she'll heal much faster," Damon clarified. "Tupac, tell me about these people in Emerald City. Their weaponry seems pretty advanced."

"At one point in time, we all lived in Emerald City; but one day, the Nyanja species decided that they no longer wanted to share the wealth of this land with us." He paused.

"We were banished from the city, first. Then to further prove their superiority over us, they made it impossible for us to obtain most of our natural resources like metal, fossil fuels, water, and food but that still wasn't enough for them. They decided to eradicate our kind. My people are a dying breed," he explained.

"What do you mean their _species?_ You all look humanoid, and your city seems to be doing well." Damon crinkled his brow.

"Their biological makeup is different. They're twice as strong as us and they can live for several hundred years."

"Hundreds of years? How long can you live?" Damon raised his brow.

"A few hundred years."

"Wow! I guess no matter what planet you live on the rich and the powerful will always conquer and oppress the weak," Damon replied as he looked blankly at the ground.

An audible silence was soon felt between them as they stood in the middle of the forest.

Damon thought about Tupac and his people for a fleeting moment, his mind soon drifted to its mantra of thoughts about Bonnie and Elena.

The witch had it all wrong. He wanted to return to Mystic Falls because he felt responsible for Elena's life. She was sired to him, and a part of him felt like she still was. It had nothing to do with the fact that he didn't care about the people of Gardenia. He merely cared more about Elena then he did them. _What's so wrong with that,_ he thought.

Damon's concentration was broken by Tupac's loud smacking on what looked like the nastiest looking fruit he had seen since being on Parallel Earth.

"What the hell are you eating?" Damon frowned.

"This fine fruit is called Verdant. It is one of the most sought after fruits on this planet." Tupac smiled.

"What, it tastes better than the yellow fruit?" Damon snickered at the idea of it all.

"It's quite tasty despite how awful it looks, but the reason people desire this fruit so greatly, because it has the power to make a sterile person fertile." He winked.

Damon burst into a fit of laughter. "What is with you and the flower child people? A piece of fruit won't make you more fertile."

"Say what you will my friend. Zinnia and I couldn't conceive a child because of her illness. It was because of this fruit that she was able to give me a child."

"Dude, fruit is not magic. It's fruit. Medicine is what heals you or vampire's blood for that matter," declared incredulously.

"…and what do you think medicine is made of. It's everything around you. I'm telling you, it works, and tonight I'm going to try for another child with Zinnia," Tupac said proudly as he leaned against a tree, smiling.

"I hate to break it to you, Mr. Flower Child, but vampires can't reproduce."

"Really?" Tupac stopped eating the fruit and stared at Damon blankly. He then lifted his shirt, plucked more fruit from the tree, and threw it quickly into his provisional sack.

He then turned to Damon, throwing him one of the army green spiked fruits with its soft slimy husk.

"Ew," Damon said holding the fruit with the tip of his fingers. He then sniffed it. "Unf." He shrugged and then took a bite of the verdant.

"Well, what do you think?"

"It's pretty tasty." Damon nodded and shrugged. "What's that?" He quickly turned his gaze to the laughter of women off in the distance.

"Hmmm, I don't know. Let's check it out." Tupac raised his brow, then turned his back to Damon. He smiled craftily as he walked towards the creek.

Damon slowly trailed behind him, finishing off the fruit along the way.

"Are you ready to have some fun?" Zinnia rushed to Bonnie.

She squinted her eyes and held a hand over her forehead, trying to shield her eyes from the blaring sunlight as she looked up at Zinnia.

"En," Bonnie said then giggled.

"Don't be such a pity, Bonnie," Zinnia said as she walked away, then began removing her clothes. She stripped down to her birthday suit and her friends did as well.

Bonnie looked around at all the naked women and unconsciously hid her covered breast with her arms.

"Are you going to get undressed?" Maji asked.

"Uh…uh, can I wear my skirt and shirt?" Bonnie swallowed.

"No, Bonnie, get undressed. No one's going to gawk at you," Zinnia fussed.

"I might." A bronze-skinned woman with jet black hair snickered.

Bonnie smiled. "Why do we have to get naked?"

"The mild undercurrents massage your skin. Your clothing will only get in the way of that. We had a rough night. You need to relax. Now come on."

"Okay." Bonnie timidly answered, then stood up so that she could remove her clothes.

Damon and Tupac made it to the cliff just in time for them to see the strip show that an unsuspecting Bonnie had no clue she was performing.

"Well, would you look at that." Tupac sneered at an astounded Damon who stared at Bonnie intensely, his lips partially parted and his eyes like saucers.

Bonnie slowly untied the front of her shirt. She eased it down her waist, legs, then over her feet. She then turned away from the women. She eased her skirt down her legs then her panties. Damon was now getting a full frontal view of Bonnie. His eyes widened at the sight of her hairy valley and small perky breasts. He quickly shot a glance to Tupac, making sure he wasn't looking at Bonnie.

"Don't look at her," Damon snapped.

"Hello, my wife is down there." Tupac huffed, then rolled his eyes at Damon.

Damon looked dumbfounded. He slowly turned his gaze back to Bonnie. Her back was now to him. A smirk flashed across his face as he looked at her beautiful back side. He knew it was nice. He had seen her in her panties and bra but seeing her without her clothes on was much more rewarding.

"You ready to head out?" Tupac asked.

Damon flashed him a serious gaze as he leaned against the tree, his ankles crossed. His expression told Tupac all he needed to know.

"You think you can find your way back?"

"I'll manage," Damon answered in a low, husky voice.

Tupac nodded and then left.

Damon went back to staring at Bonnie as she waded in the water. She was self-conscious and nervous and he found it adorable. All she did was politely smile and giggle at the other women as they cracked jokes and told stories about their husbands and kids.

He watched them play in the water for about an hour. He was glad that he stayed because he got to see a wet and naked Bonnie. He thanked the Gods for it as he watched her emerge from the water, slicking her wet shoulder length hair to the back of her head. All of her important parts jiggled as she ran to one of the blankets. She dried herself off before Zinnia talked her into letting her massage her back.

She gave Bonnie some wine and made her take a few puffs of an herb to help her relax. It was peer pressure at its finest and Zinnia was the master of manipulation and guilt-tripping. Damon was extremely impressed.

Zinnia rubbed Bonnie's back slowly. He could see the oil glistening on her body from the top of the cliff and wished that it was him rubbing Bonnie Bennett down.

Damon quickly lost his smile. He began to feel slightly guilty watching her without her permission and not only that, but he would soon be reunited with Elena and there was no way he would be able to look at her with a straight face knowing he saw her best friend naked and enjoyed it. This image of Bonnie would definitely be floating around in his head for many decades to come.

As Damon watched her, he began to feel a tightness in his jeans. He grabbed and lightly massaged himself. It had been a little over a month since he had sex and the light girl-on-girl action did not make matters any better.

Before Damon knew it, he was undoing his pants. He grabbed hold of his rigidness, freeing it. He rubbed slowly over the bulbous head while still staring intently at Bonnie and Zinnia. He slowly began to stroke himself and began to imagine how wet, tight, and hot Bonnie's pussy was, and the fact that she was a witch made him hornier. He could teach the witch some tricks.

It felt wonderful, but he felt slightly embarrassed. He was Damon Salvatore. He didn't need to masturbate. He could get a woman to do that for him, but here he was, working himself over. He slowly stroked his pink stiffened cock with his strong hand while remaining gentle with his love wand.

Bonnie waved her feet slowly in the air as Zinnia continued to massage her back with elbows and hands. Bonnie moaned softly with pleasure at the woman's wonderful ministration which made Damon even more aroused.

He quickened his pace. Short grunts escaped his lips as he closed his eyes. That wonderful feeling that he hadn't felt in some time was rushing to the forefront. He moved his hands over his member as if he were milking a cow.

"Ah no; shit; shit." He grunted as he fervently stroked himself. "Oh god, he gasped as his white liquid went spitting out across the leaves and onto the ground. "Ah, yeah." He smiled then let out a short relieving chuckle as he rubbed out the rest of his release. He fell back against the tree, still lightly stroking himself. He felt less tense after releasing some of the stress on his back.

No matter what happened from this moment forward, he couldn't tell anyone that he jerked off while watching a naked and unsuspecting Bonnie Bennett.

::::::

No sooner than nightfall over the village, the town started preparing for the feast. It was a joint effort on everyone's part.

The banquet was not the only big thing happening that night. Tupac couldn't find the town's leader and soon the new vampires would be arriving and the leader was hoping that they would make it home before sun up.

Bonnie placed a spell on the town hall to keep the vampires in and around the town to keep them out that part of the plan had been completed. She spent the rest of her time trying to come up with a spell to send Damon home. After wasting almost half the evening thinking of the right incantation, she realized that she didn't need a spell. She was able to bring out the sun just thinking about it, so she was sure she could do the same with the portal.

Damon on the other hand spent the rest of the evening alone. He decided to go to the party because he was the guest of honor, there would be plenty of liquor, and he was hoping the herb's that they would have at the feast as well would help to dull his senses.

He was avoiding Bonnie and she was avoiding him. He didn't want it to be that way but he didn't want to talk to her while she was angry. He also needed to come up with a new strategy to get her to come back home with him.

He respected Bonnie and her choices; he would never do anything to undermine them but this was one time he felt he had to take matters into his own hands. She was returning with him to Mystic Falls whether she liked it or not. He had weighed all his options and there was no other way. Bonnie was going and that was final.

He had finally arrived at the feast. The large bonfire in the middle of it all was pretty impressive. He looked around at all the happy faces. He instantly spotted Bonnie sitting with Zinnia and some of the other women in town as well. He searched the crowd for Tupac. He was sitting on the other side of the fire with his friends.

Damon walked slowly over to them but not without shooting Bonnie Bennett a few serious glances. He was quite surprised to see her staring back at him with a mutual expression.

"Damon, my friend. You finally decided to join us," Tupac greeted in a raised voice.

"Yeah, I'm here. Where is the liquor?" Damon inquired seriously and the men laughed.

"Tao, get him a pitcher. I don't think a cup will do. He has woman troubles," Tupac teased.

"Did you forget to give your woman a good thrashing before you left?" Tao joked.

"She's not my woman!" Damon hissed.

"So, you don't mind if I make her my woman?" A handsome copper-skinned man said as he stood against the tree.

Damon glowered at the man before taking a large gulp of his liquor.

"Tonight, we are more than just celebrating Damon's great moments in battle and his bravery; we're also saying farewell to him, our fallen comrades, and the people who died here in Gardenia."

"What?" Tao gasped.

"Damon has to return home. His loved one is in trouble," Tupac informed.

"Great. We really could use your help, especially now," Tao said sadly.

"You'll be okay," Damon said coolly not sparing the man a glance. Once Tao gave him the decanter of whisky, he turned it up and drank half of its contents in one gulp. He wiped his mouth, then looked at the fire in a trance-like state. The men's voices became garbled, mere background noise as he stared right through the crackling and blazing, yellow and orange flames at Bonnie.

He saw Tupac puffing on the herb out the corner of his eye. He mindlessly held his hand up for a puff and Tupac obliged. He inhaled a large gulp of the drug, then blindly held it out for someone else.

"Bonnie, that man has it bad for you," Zinnia whispered in her ear.

"He doesn't, Zinnia. He loves Elena. He's just angry because I won't go with him. He probably wants me to tag along so he can use me for my powers."

Damon's heart broke when he heard those words escape Bonnie's lips. Surely she must have known that he would be listening in on her conversation.

"You really believe that?"

"Of course, he pulled a poker on me and threatened me to save his brother." Bonnie cringed after hearing her own comment. She was bitter, and she didn't understand why.

"You're jealous."

"Excuse me." Bonnie laughed hilariously.

"You're jealous. Tell the man you like him."

"I don't want Damon Salvatore. He's my friend. He's like a brother to me and that's it," Bonnie said convincingly.

The more Bonnie spoke, the angrier Damon became. He turned up pitcher after pitcher of liquor, which contained small amounts of the purple fruit.

Bonnie sighed in frustration. She poured a little wine in a cup. She drank the first cup in one gulp. She too began to consume large amounts of liquor containing the purple fruit. She also over indulged in the drug. Several minutes later everything around Bonnie became blurry and her friends' voices became muffled.

She stared across the fire, catching Damon gawking intently at her. She couldn't look away. They were mesmerized by each other. The purple fruit made it impossible for them to fight the passion and desire that burned inside of them for one another.

"Come on, Bonnie, let's dance," Zinnia suggested.

Bonnie staggered as she tried getting to her feet. She stood frozen, still looking through the fire hypnotically at Damon.

"Come on, Bonnie!" Zinnia shouted excitedly, but to Bonnie, she spoke in slow motion, in a deep baritone voice.

Bonnie couldn't gracefully handle the amounts of liquor and drugs that she had consumed like Zinnia and the others.

Zinnia grabbed Bonnie by the arms, swaying her from side to side. Out of nowhere, Bonnie became extremely happy. She ran her hands down her body, slowly rotating her hips, and seductively ran her fingers through her hair with her eyes closed. She cupped her breasts and ran her hands slowly and provocatively over her front as she dipped, rolled, and swirled her hips. She was in her own little intoxicated world.

As Bonnie danced, Damon could hear a drumming sound in his head. Bonnie's dancing summoned the vampire in him. The scowl he once wore was gone. He stared at the witch with a piercing, penetrative gaze. She was beautiful to him. The little timid looking girl he once knew bloomed into a woman right before his very eyes. He didn't remember Bonnie being so vivacious. He couldn't take his eyes off of her.

Bonnie continued to dance. She finally opened her eyes to see that Damon was still watching her. Oddly, she didn't stop dancing. Knowing that she had his full attention only fueled her fire. She wanted him to see her, appreciate her beauty, and her worth. They gazed at each other hypnotically for an infinite amount of time as Bonnie continued to dance for him. Damon could no longer take it.

He stammered across the campsite over to her. They stared at each other wantonly; their chests rising and falling in unison.

"Yes," Bonnie said breathlessly.

"Can we talk?" Damon ran his hand down his face tiredly.

Bonnie quickly nodded. He grabbed her by the hand, interlocking their fingers as he led her to the town's square. The square was deserted because everyone was at the feast.

He stopped near the tavern and turned to face Bonnie.

"Hey," he said huskily.

"Hi," Bonnie said, trance-like.

They ogled each other, both at a loss for words. Damon had tons he needed to say to her but now that they were face to face, he couldn't remember what it was he wanted to communicate.

He began to drift into her. Her head went right and his went left. Soon the tips of their noses were touching. Damon caressed her nose with his as he closed his eyes.

Bonnie stepped closer to him before placing her hands on his pale, rugged, square jaw. Damon grabbed her gently by the waist and pressed his lips tenderly against hers. He pushed his lips into hers and prayed that she would return his affection, and she did. Her soft tawny lips pressed softly against his and lingered.

Bonnie pulled slowly away. Her green eyes darted up to his blue ones. Suddenly she couldn't breathe and her heart rate quickened. Damon honed in on the resounding thumping. Her heartbeat was hypnotic and alluring; it made him even more intoxicated. Bonnie had wanted to kiss Damon since that morning. She never imagined that it would happen.

Bonnie reached her lips to Damon's and they pecked tenderly once more, their lips tenderly smacking every time they pulled slowly away.

Damon was ready to take it up a notch. He pressed the tip of his tongue between her lips, begging for entry. Bonnie didn't disappoint him. She opened her mouth wide for him. Damon speedily slid his tongue into her warm orifice. His golden whip was soon dancing harmoniously around Bonnie's. She fisted the collar of his shirt with one hand whilst rubbing the back of his head with the other.

Their tongues fought fiercely for dominance over the others as Damon's busy hands danced around her waist, thighs, and back.

As they kissed, Damon became more aggressive and consuming as his tongue swam deeper to the back of her warm mouth and their breathing became heavy and erratic.

Damon backed her up against the wall, his hands resting against it as he kneeled in to the kiss with one knee. Their heads moved around each other as they practically swallowed each other's faces.

Damon pulled her back in forcefully, snaking his arms around her waist as he rubbed her waist and the small of her back briskly. He sucked, licked, and kissed over her neck, earlobes, and collar bone.

"Damon," Bonnie said, winded as Damon tugged at the hair at the back of her head and continued to kiss her feverishly over her neck, leaving the essence of his kisses behind on the spots his lips had formerly visited.

"Damon. _Damon_," Bonnie moaned. He worked his lips back up to hers. There was no way he was going to let the words 'no' or 'stop' escape from her lips; he would put an end to that right now. He licked, pulled, and sucked on her luscious lips terminating all communication.

Bonnie threw her arm out to the side of her, cushioning herself from the impact of Damon backing her up against the wall again. She panted as she grabbed and pulled the hair at the back of his head. Damon eagerly pulled the straps of Bonnie's shirt down over her shoulders. He kissed them feverishly before rushing down to the valley between her breasts.

Bonnie's eyes popped open. He was going home to Elena, and here she was about to give him the most precious and sacred part of herself.

She didn't want to be second choice, not anymore. Damon may have wanted her, now, but the moment he laid eyes on Elena, she would become the one night stand; the mistake. She could hear Damon now_. I really like you Bonnie, but I'm in love with Elena. I never meant to hurt you. Can we still be friends? _ Yes, that is what he would say to her.

"No, Damon. We can't." Bonnie tried pushing him away, but Damon gently grabbed her wrist, peeling her fingers away from his chest.

"Please, Bonnie." He gently folded her left arm behind her back and continued to kiss her face and down her neck.

"_No_, Damon," Bonnie pleaded in a breathless and timid voice.

Damon ceased his loving ministrations, then rested his forehead on hers as he ran his fingers lightly down her neck, his cool breath in her face. Their chests heaving. They had worked up quite a sweat. Bonnie could only imagine what it would be like if she made love to Damon. She shut her eyes tightly, squeezing her lids together as she purged the pleasant fantasy from her mind. She would only get hurt.

"Please come home with me, Bonnie?" Damon whispered before kissing her on the nose.

Bonnie's eyes jerked to his. Even after kissing him, he still wanted to go home- to Elena. She angrily pushed Damon roughly away from her. He staggered back against the bench before sending her an astonished look.

"I'm not coming with you," she said through gritted teeth.

"Yes, you are," Damon replied sternly as he stared at her with a piercing gaze, his jaw ticking.

"…and if I don't, then what? You're going to make me?" Bonnie asked heatedly, her breathing still erratic.

Damon watched her for a moment. Earlier that day he had made up his mind that she would go with him no matter if she wanted to or not, but he couldn't do that, not to Bonnie. He respected her too much.

"No," he answered somberly.

Bonnie exhaled. "Damon, I'm sorry about before. I said some mean things. I do understand why you need to return. I won't hold you back, but you have to respect my decision to stay."

Damon nodded heartbrokenly.

Bonnie smiled at him then walked out to the middle of the road and closed her eyes.

"What are you doing?" he asked. He was confused by her actions.

"I'm sending you back home. Elena needs you."

"You're not going to say goodbye to me?" Damon asked hysterically.

"No, because maybe you and Elena will come back for me."

"Damon, you can't leave." Zinnia came from out of nowhere with Tupac on her heels. They had been spying on them in hopes that all their manipulation would succeed in bringing Bonnie and Damon together.

"I'm sorry, but I need to know that Elena's okay."

"We're going to miss you, Damon," Tupac said gloomily.

"What about me? How am I going to learn how to use my new abilities?" Zinnia asked worriedly.

"Zinnia, you'll be okay. Tupac and I are kindred spirits, and Bonnie knows all there is to know about me." Damon smiled at Zinnia, but his eyes quickly darted back to Bonnie.

"I think you're making a big mistake, but I wish you all the best." Zinnia begin to lightly sob.

"You ready?" Bonnie inquired.

Damon nodded.

Bonnie closed her eyes and thought about what she wanted to happen. A fierce wind came from out of nowhere and a twirling ball of light appeared. It spun around at lightning speed in mid-air. The ball grew bigger and bigger. Damon walked closer to the beam, his back to Bonnie and the others. His hair whipped fearlessly in the wind, and the light shone brightly on his pale skin.

A part of him was happy to be returning home to Elena. He missed her, but the more he thought of her, the more he thought about Bonnie, too. He kept picturing their kiss in his head. Damon sighed. He was making the right decision; or so he tried to convince himself.

Bonnie smiled and marveled at her power. She could never have this much power back home, even with the power of a hundred witches. She soon lost her smile when the awful throbbing and burning in her brain began.

Black veins began to swim across Damon's cheeks. A thousand years could pass and he still would know the scent of Bonnie Bennett's blood. He jerked his gaze to her.

Bonnie wiped her lip, seeing her blood on her fingertips. She looked up, her eyes meeting Damon's. She tried to hide her pain with a smile, but she couldn't fool him.

"Bonnie." Damon gasped in horror. She had told him earlier that day about her passing out. He could kick his own ass for not remembering. He instantly thought about all those times that he could have stopped Bonnie from hurting herself. He could have saved her, but he couldn't because his entire existence was rooted in all things Elena Gilbert.

"It's okay. I can hold it. Go, help Elena," she said bravely then flashed him a timid smile.

"No." Damon walked swiftly over to her, not even sparing the portal that led to the supposedly great love of his life a second glance.

"Yes, you are. Elena needs you; now go," Bonnie protested.

"Close it, Bonnie, or so help me God, if you die, I will kill you," Damon said seriously.

Bonnie looked at him for a spell, disbelievingly. Her arms slowly floated down to her sides. The move instantly closed the portal.

"Why?" Bonnie asked in disbelief, her eyes like saucers.

"I've made a lot of bad choices but staying here with you will prove to be the best decision I've ever made." Damon stared at her stoically.

Bonnie bit down on a giggle as tears of joy flowed from her eyes. "Once we take care of this thing here in Gardenia, we'll go home, together. I promise." She smiled.

"What about you? You're still not able to control your magic." Damon gave her a concerned look.

"I-," Bonnie was cut off by a rogue vampire that had hopped the mighty stone gate. She didn't spell the front entrance because it was the army's only way back in to the city.

Bonnie, Damon, Zinnia, and Tupac looked at the vampire, bewildered.

"Nosh," Tupac called to his friend curiously.

The man vamped up, looking at Tupac.

"They're coming!" The guard on the wall yelled before firing his arrows quickly over the wall.

Damon flashed to Nosh and tried to rip out his heart. The vampire grabbed him by his fingers. He bent them all the way back to his wrist, breaking every single one of his digits. Damon screamed out in pain. The vampire grabbed him by the throat, lifting him up off the ground, snuffing out the sound of his voice.

In a blink, the vampire reached into Damon's chest and before he could rip out his organ, monkey man appeared and ripped the vampire's head clean off with his bare hands.

Nosh's death-stiff fingers were locked around Damon's heart. Damon grabbed him by the collar, keeping him from falling and taking his heart with him.

"Bon-nieeee!" Damon called out in pain.

She shot her gaze to Damon, vaporizing the deceased vampire with one look, saving Damon in the process. He dropped to the ground, weakened by his injury.

Tupac ran over to him, giving Damon some of his blood.

More vampires leapt over the gate but Damon was no match for these creatures. Luckily Zinnia and Monkey Man were as they fought furiously to keep the mad bloodsuckers from hurting the others.

Bonnie, seeing how overwhelmed her animal and Zinnia were, closed her eyes and quickly began performing the same spell she did the night before. She was still weak from carrying out the incantation from earlier, but she was still successful. The sun burst through the midnight sky like fire burning through paper, killing the vampires inside and outside the gate instantly.

Turning back the hours on the clock was no easy invocation. Bonnie passed out right in the middle of her enchantment. Night slid over day like a shade as she dropped. Damon sped to her, catching her body before it hit the ground.

"Bonnie," He gasped, quickly checking for a pulse, it was faint. Damon bit into his wrist then pushed it hurriedly into her mouth. She sucked the blood from his wrist, then whimpered. He picked her up bridal style before looking around to see if Zinnia, Tupac, and his animal friend were okay.

"Go, take her home. We'll be okay," Zinnia said as she helped an injured Tupac to his feet.

"Who were they?" Damon asked breathlessly.

"Some of my men," Tupac answered in a trembling voice, a devastated look on his face.

"Cheyenne?" Damon questioned in horror.

"We can't worry about that now. Take your woman home. Meet me in the morning at the town hall," Tupac said.

Damon nodded worriedly. He stared at Tupac for a tick, then hurried home.

Once inside, he laid Bonnie down in bed, tripping on table pieces and broken glass along the way. Damon grabbed a piece of cloth from the shelf, dipped it in to a pail of cold water then wrung out the excess water. He walked slowly back over to a passed out Bonnie.

He removed his torn, blood-covered shirt before laying down beside her. He dabbed the blood away from her upper lip, then folded the cloth to cover up the blood stain before dabbing her forehead with the clean side of the cool, wet fabric.

He ran his fingers lightly down her face. Now more than ever he knew he had made the right decision in staying and so did Bonnie. He was so proud of her for seeing the bigger picture and for thinking about people who actually needed her help, unlike Elena who couldn't help but keep the attention on her.

Damon hastily pushed Elena out of his mind and put the focus back on Bonnie. They kissed. He now wished that he wasn't so intoxicated during their passionate make out. Their entire moment seemed like a wet dream, but nevertheless it felt good feeling her warm tongue rotating around his. He couldn't stop smiling like an idiot as he looked down at her.

"You need me, and I need you. I'm so proud of you, Bonnie," he whispered through an angelic smile as he continued to stroke her face tenderly with the back of his fingers.

Damon combed his fingers through her dark brown tresses before kissing her on the forehead. He closed his eyes, letting his lips linger against her warm skin. He pulled away from her, gradually, then propped his head up on his hand and watched her as she slept. He chuckled softly. He couldn't remember a time in his life when he felt prouder of himself than he did right now.

Even with the horrible thing that just happened to the town, all Damon could think about was Bonnie.


	8. Chapter 8:The Aftermath

**A/N: **This chapter has been newly edited (as well as one and two) replaced, and some changes have been made. I hope you enjoy!

_**Oblivion Chapter 8: The Aftermath **_

Tupac and Zinnia looked around at the ashes of their fallen men. There was a part of the leader that hoped that Cheyenne made it somehow. He left with two hundred men but the one he was most heartbroken about was his friend. He could live knowing that their defenses were no more but he couldn't bear the thought of living without Cheyenne, the man who was his best friend since they were little boys.

Tupac's thoughts soon left him when he noticed the Podigies standing in the middle of the road. Never in his life had he seen one of the creatures up close. His father and other elders had told him that they were dangerous animals, but this one appeared to be pretty docile compared to the ones he had seen out in the wild.

"I can't believe the creature helped us," Tupac said, still carefully watching the animal.

"Yes. He fought quite remarkably."

"…and so did you." Tupac smiled at his wife.

The animal grunted, putting the couple's attention back on him.

"Thank you," Tupac announced.

Monkey Man watched them for a tick then took off down the road that led to Bonnie's and Damon's hut.

"Damon said Cheyenne's name. Did he die? Will he come back as a vampire like me? Do you think he's okay?" Zinnia asked, putting her attention back on Tupac.

"No, he was alive when I left him. His orders were to bring the men home once night time fell, but this is what happened instead," Tupac explained gloomily.

"Well maybe the men who couldn't handle being a vampire tried to attack the others. I'm sure Cheyenne is okay because this wasn't even half of the cavalry that attacked us."

"Yeah, maybe you're right," Tupac replied distractedly.

"Someone's approaching!" The guard yelled from the wall. "It's the rest of the men!"

"Open the gate!" Tupac bellowed enthusiastically before heading for the entrance.

He waited for the large stone doors to open, hoping that his friend would be there. The gate was finally open and there Cheyenne was, sitting high up on his horse, his clothes torn and dirty, his face bloody, but he was alive.

"You made it." Tupac exhaled. He was relieved to see his friend. "What happened?"

"Most of the men climbed out of their shallow graves themselves. Some were shaken up and couldn't understand what was happening to them, and the others wanted blood. They attacked our injured, so we had to defend ourselves. Luckily, some of the newly turned vampires stood with us against the others.

"Seeing that they were outnumbered, they ran. We were sure that they would come back here. We tried to get home as soon as possible, but during our journey back a weird storm appeared and it caused the sun to emerge. We lost more men when that happened but some were blessed to have their blankets within reach." Cheyenne explained then looked around the town's square, only seeing the ashes of the vampires that were there before them.

"Looks like everything turned out okay despite the fact that we weren't here. What happened?" He inquired as he squinted his eyes at Tupac.

"It was Bonnie. Her powers are unimaginable. She saved the town for a second time," Tupac enlightened, amazed.

"Let us hope she sticks around for a while." Cheyenne smiled. "Can the men go home?"

"No, not if they've been turned. They have to sleep in the town hall. We've covered all the windows and there's plenty of blankets and water." Tupac informed.

"Why can't they return home? They've proved themselves. They want to be with their love ones." Cheyenne became upset.

"I understand that, but we can't take that chance. We need to know for certain that they can control their thirst for blood." Tupac stared seriously at Cheyenne.

The leader could tell that his friend wasn't okay with his orders, but he knew that Cheyenne would respect him and follow his commands without question, which is why they made a good team.

"Where is Chogan?"

"We don't know. He's nowhere to be found." Tupac answered.

"Oh, and one more thing Cheyenne. The vampires will need human blood to fully transition or they will die. If they don't want their new way of life, so be it. It's their choice."

"Okay." Cheyenne slightly nodded, then left to fill the men in on their orders.

"Cheyenne," Tupac called, stopping him in his tracks. "I'm glad you're home brother." He gave him a serious and penetrative gaze.

"…and I'm glad to be home, too, brother." Cheyenne smiled then walked away.

Tupac watched his friend until he disappeared into the crowd and then turned his gaze to Zinnia. He instantly smiled once laying eyes on her. She always brought out the softer side of him.

"See, I told you everything would be okay." Zinnia smiled.

"Yeah, you did. We make a good team, you and me."

"We got Bonnie and Damon together. Most of our men have returned. It's really a good day." Zinnia beamed.

"Yes. It was a good day indeed. Were we really going to watch Bonnie and Damon have sex?" Tupac asked with a raised brow.

"I was. I don't know about you," Zinnia said sassily.

"Woman, you are so mischievous." Tupac lightly chuckled.

"The outlanders may know sexual tricks that we have yet to discover." Zinnia winked, and Tupac burst into a fit of laughter.

::::::

Damon woke up with a smile on his face. The sun was barely up in the sky, and even though he had slept for only a few hours, he still felt fully rested and invigorated.

Things were looking up for him. He finally kissed Bonnie. He and Tupac were growing closer. He had the most kick ass pet any man could ask for.

He was finally living a life that wasn't filled with revenge, chasing after a woman, or stealing his brother's girl. He actually had no aspirations other than being happy and wooing Bonnie, but only if she wanted him to woo her. He turned towards her.

She looked so adorable. He ran his fingers down her face, then leaned in to her, giving her a kiss on the forehead.

_You wanted to make love to me, Bennett,_ he said internally, smiling. Damon felt like his chances of being with her had increased tremendously. There were no longer zero chances of him and Bonnie starting a relationship. His chances were now one in a million, and he'd gladly take those odds.

After gawking at her for another several minutes, Damon decided to fetch them some water for a shower. He put on his jeans and shoes, then left. He almost jumped through his skin when he ran into his animal sitting outside the door.

"Hey, Monkey Man." He grinned.

The animal stuck his tongue out at Damon, spitting on him in the process.

"You don't like the name. I knew it." He laughed. "How about I give you a new name, and you don't spit on me this time?"

Monkey Man licked his tongue out, spitting on Damon, again. He wiped the spittle from his cheek and flashed the animal a fake sneer.

"I'm done with you. You big lug. Now stay here and watch Bonnie." Damon walked away, leaving the animal alone.

Damon was back with the water for their showers in no time. He wanted to take a shower first and then clean the house before Bonnie got up, but when he returned, she was already awake. The moment he saw her he wanted to sit down and chat about their kiss, but Damon, the eternal gentleman he always was with Bonnie, wanted her to approach him first.

"Good morning," Damon gave her a smoldering glance. He stood in front of Bonnie for the longest, making sure she got a good look at his rock hard, sweaty chest.

Bonnie's eyes roamed from Damon's knees, lingered at his crotch, his nicely formed abs, over his perfectly chiseled chest, and then over his rugged face. She exhaled and then forced herself to speak.

"Morning," she greeted timidly.

"How did you sleep?"

"Pretty good. I have a little headache though," Bonnie replied.

Damon walked over to her, gaze still ravenous. He sat down on the bed, his eyes staring into Bonnie's. He really wanted to wait for her to initiate the conversation about their kiss, but he was busting at the seams with eagerness. He was anxious to know what she thought and how she felt.

His hands were all over her during their heated moment. His tongue had practically married hers. He tasted the sweetness of her breath, felt its warmth, and now he wanted more.

He slowly raised his hand to her face, then lightly trailed his fingers alongside her cheek. Bonnie sat completely still, not saying a word, but her heartbeat gave her away.

"Do you want my blood?" Damon asked in a low, husky voice.

"No. I'll be okay. A glass of water will make it better." Bonnie jumped out of bed. Once on her feet, she looked around the house. "This place is a mess. Who broke the table?" Bonnie asked with a raised brow.

"Uh…Zinnia and Tupac," Damon said, a guilty look on his face.

Bonnie pushed out a knee and folded her arms. "You're helping me clean this mess up," she reprimanded. "Do you mind filling the shower for me?"

"Sure." Damon jumped to his feet. He walked swiftly pass Bonnie, his hand brushing her bottom as he passed by her.

He smirked once his back was to hers and Bonnie blushed. Instead of her waiting outside the bathroom for him to fill the shower, she came in with him. She dipped some of the warm water from the pail in to the granite bowl and washed her face. She then brushed her teeth while watching Damon's backside from the corner of her eye.

"Alright. Your shower is ready." Damon smiled.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." He grabbed the pails and quickly left.

Bonnie watched his backside as he walked away before closing the door behind him.

While she was in the shower, Damon cleaned up in a flash. It was a small place and cleaning it up was an easy task. There were clothes strewn everywhere, broken glass, overturned furniture, and table pieces covering the surface. Damon put the dirty clothes in a pile on the floor before folding and putting away the clean ones.

He sat down on the bed feeling pretty good with himself. Damon's lips curled in to his cheek as a devious idea quickly came to mind. He hurriedly took off his clothes then wrapped a throw around his waist. He laid flat across the bed, spreading his legs wide, stretching out his arms, and then waited.

"Damon!" Bonnie called.

"Yeah!"

"I forgot my clothes. I need a throw to dry off, too. Will you bring it to me?" She shouted.

"Sure." He grabbed everything she needed, then rapped softly at the entrance.

Bonnie cracked the door, her eyes meeting Damon's immediately.

"Thank you," she said timidly. She was nervous and Damon enjoyed every minute of bashful Bonnie. He handed her one thing at a time, making sure her hand rubbed up against his.

"Thanks." Bonnie cut her eyes shyly at him as she tried taking her underwear from his hand. She lightly pulled and Damon pulled back.

"Damon, please," she said seriously.

He lost his smile, then freed her underwear. Bonnie closed the door once she had possession of her panties. Damon stood at the entrance for a tick, then knocked.

"Yes." Bonnie answered from behind the door.

"Uh, I'll give you some time alone. I need to see Tupac anyway. I'll see you later," he said disappointedly through the door.

"Wait! You can't leave." Bonnie snatched the door open.

"You really want me to stay?" Damon asked huskily, raising a brow.

"Yeah. I thought maybe we could do our laundry together, or maybe we could go to the market and pick out dinner for tonight."

"What, like boyfriend and girlfriend?" Damon smiled cockily at her, leaning against the door, his chest right in Bonnie's face.

"Damon," Bonnie said in warning. "I'm on my way out. After you take your shower we'll go…as _friends_."

Damon realized that she was going to avoid what happened between them at all cost. He was fine with that -for now.

Bonnie hurried out of the wash room fully dressed in her amazon-like attire. She stood frozen in front of Damon, hoping that he would complement her. She didn't know why. It wasn't like her outfit was new. It was the same style of clothing just different garments, but she wanted Damon Salvatore to notice her in it all the same.

"You look beautiful. As always." Damon smiled sweetly at her.

"Thank you." Bonnie smiled back; she then noticed that the house was clean. "You cleaned up."

"Yeah. I made the mess so it was only befitting that I clean it up."

They stared at each other for a tick, an awkward silence shortly ensued.

"Bonnie, about last night-," Damon trailed off. _You can do it Damon; mention the kiss,_ he thought to himself.

"Yes. I wanted to speak to you about that. I know how hard it was for you to stay behind for me. I know how much you love Elena. I know you'll never love anyone as much as you love her. You two are perfect for each other," Bonnie explained seriously. She totally omitted what happened between them.

Damon looked at Bonnie confused and slightly shook his head absurdly at her statement.

"Yes; you are right. I finally met someone who's perfect for me, and she doesn't even know it." Damon blurted out, then walked away, leaving Bonnie with her thoughts.

A guilty look crossed her face. She knew Damon meant her, but just like Zinnia had said, it was she that needed to break up with Elena, too.

Ten minutes later, Bonnie was still patiently waiting on the bed for Damon to finish with his shower. She watched the washroom with an intense gaze as she swung her feet in the air, her chin propped up on her hands.

She wondered if the wonderful scent of the soap and oils drifting from the washroom did the same when she took her shower. She smiled and looked at the room all dreamy-eyed. She couldn't wait to get a whiff of Damon's skin.

Damon finally emerged, his hair wet, and nothing but a short throw tied around his waist. Bonnie sat up quickly on the bed, her bottom resting comfortably on the heels of her feet, her face childlike. The makeshift towel tied around Damon's body was so thin that it wasn't hard for her to make out his penis and where it set in conjunction with his family jewels.

She was quite impressed, so much so, that her gaze never left that spot. She unconsciously licked her lips. Damon smirked. He didn't miss a thing. He opened the small wardrobe chest and pulled out an outfit given to him by Tupac to wear to the fest. He removed the throw right in front of Bonnie.

"Sss, omigod." Bonnie's eyes widened and her mouth went ajar. She looked left. She looked right. She looked right at his manhood and froze. Damon put his hand on his hips and smirked.

"Oh shit." She finally looked away. Damon chuckled.

"That shit's not funny." She fussed.

"Oh, Bonnie. It's merely a penis. All men have one. I'm sure you got a good look at Baby Gilbert's." Damon grinned.

"You're huge," Bonnie said just below a whisper, but she couldn't hide that comment from a man who could hear a bat pissing on a cotton ball.

"What was that?" Damon grinned as he walked his outfit over to the bed and laid it down beside her. He smiled at Bonnie all the while as he slipped on his pants.

Bonnie could feel a throbbing in her lower region. Her blood began to heat as beads of sweat formed on her forehead.

"It's really hot." Bonnie fanned herself, but she still didn't turn her gaze to Damon.

"Feels nice to me." He grabbed his top which was a vest with lace ups. He put the top on, then ran his fingers through his wet hair before trying to secure his vest.

"Bon Bon, help me tie this shirt," Damon said, frowning as he fumbled with the laces on the vest.

"Okay." Bonnie turned around slowly. Not only did Damon's vest need to be tied but so did his bottoms.

Bonnie's eyes traveled to his treasure trail, down to his curly raven-haired bush, which peeked out from his dark brown pants.

"You…you…you forget to tie up your pants," Bonnie stammered for the words as she crawled on top of the bed over to Damon.

"You've seen me naked. I have nothing to hide."

Bonnie grabbed the laces of the vest and quickly began tying them, ignoring his comment.

Damon watched her hands for a tick. He then turned his loving gaze to her heart-shaped face, luscious lips, and lastly, her slanted eyes and emerald orbs.

"You have beautiful eyes, Bonnie." Damon complemented seductively.

"Thank you," Bonnie said a little above a whisper, never losing sight of what she was doing.

Once carefully watching Bonnie tie his vest, Damon figured out how to tie his pants. He tied them in a flash, then straightened his top.

"How do I look?" He backed up so that she could get a good look at him.

"Turn around," Bonnie said coolly, her voice deeper than normal. Damon was made up well. He looked good in jeans and any type of pants really. He had a great ass and Bonnie noticed as she nervously sucked on her bottom lip. "You look and smell amazing." She radiated.

"Thank you; and you smell and look amazing, too." Damon stared wantonly at her as another short awkward silence followed.

"You ready to go?" Bonnie asked.

"Yup." Damon grabbed the baskets filled with their dirty clothes. He then opened the door for Bonnie and helped her down the steps.

"Monkey Man!" She gleamed and the animal went crazy at seeing Bonnie.

"Wow, he was really worried about you." Damon smiled genuinely at their exchange.

"Yes, he was. I love him," Bonnie said sweetly as she rubbed the back of the primate's head.

"Why don't you spit on her like you spit on me?" Damon taunted.

"No way, Monkey Man would never do that. Would you?"

The animal stuck out his tongue, spitting on Bonnie like it did Damon, then grinned.

"Monkey Man." Bonnie quipped.

"He doesn't like 'Monkey Man.' Let's give him a name he likes."

"He does like it. Do you like 'Monkey Man'?"

Monkey Man stuck his tongue out at Bonnie and shook his head.

"Great." Bonnie rolled her eyes and slapped her thigh. "What name do you have for him?"

"Mmm, Kick Ass." Damon blurted out.

Monkey Man protested.

"Ah ha!" Bonnie gloated.

"I got it. George of the Jungle."

"A movie, Damon? Please." Bonnie folded her arms over her chest and rolled her eyes at him.

"You like George?" Damon asked his animal friend.

Monkey Man jumped up and down and beat his chest. He was pleased.

"What?!" Bonnie shouted.

"Yeah, high five."

George, formally known as Monkey Man, knocked Damon down and flashed him all his teeth.

"Damn it! Now I'm dirty." Damon fussed. Bonnie laughed as she helped him to his feet.

They said goodbye to George and he quickly struck out for the forest. They strolled up the pathway to the market place. As soon as they entered, an elderly lady handed them a bouquet of gardenias.

"Here, for you. Put one in your beautiful wife's hair."

"Uh, he's not my…he's-," Bonnie trailed off as she slowly turned her gaze up to an angelic-faced Damon. The sight of him took her breath away.

Damon took the flowers from the lady. He broke the stem off one of the flowers and then placed it in Bonnie's hair.

"What the hell. We're living a married life anyway," Damon said.

"Aww, you are so beautiful, child. I've never seen a lovelier couple?" The woman gushed.

"Thank you," Bonnie and Damon said in unison, then smiled affectionately at each other.

Damon wished that the woman's words could be truer.

They left the woman and began walking through the town square. Damon tried to hold Bonnie's hand several times but she pulled away. He had no idea if this was intentional or not, but nevertheless, they never made the connection.

Damon was saddened that Bonnie wouldn't bring up the kiss. It made him feel cheap, like he was nothing, and more importantly, it angered him because he couldn't believe that Bonnie Bennett, of all people, could make him feel this way. He wondered how and when he came to feel so crazy about her.

What he felt for Bonnie was way beyond a brother and sister kind of love; and even though they were best friends, the things he wanted to do with her weren't things he wanted to do with any of his best friends.

He wanted to make a life with her. He never thought or felt this way when he was with Elena. He felt like he could rule the world with his perfect vampire princess, but with Bonnie, he wanted so much more. He wanted family, a relationship with his brother, and the big, white house with the picket fence.

He purged the thoughts from his mind as they walked through the market place for dinner and other little things for their home.

They ate pastries, talked, and laughed as they shopped. The people in town were so grateful to and for Bonnie and Damon. They loaded their little baskets up with whatever their hearts desired.

They even stopped and took in a show while they perused the town square. They smiled and laughed at the jugglers, swordsmen, and acrobats performing in the center of the square.

Damon looked affectionately at Bonnie as she laughed. He tried taking her hand again. He intertwined his fingers through hers, but she eased her hand away. Damon was finally faced with the horrible realization that Bonnie was intentionally pushing him away. She wasn't going to acknowledge their kiss, and she was never going to give him a chance. He was crushed.

Damon glared at her, then abruptly walked off. He made sure that Bonnie saw his displeasure as he walked away.

"Damon," she called to him, but he didn't look back.

Bonnie watched him until he stopped in front of one of the booths. She knew she had to make it right with him or things between them would be awkward. It would ruin their friendship and she didn't want that.

"Damon."

"What?" He rudely responded as he fiddled and looked over some pieces of jewelry.

"I'm sorry. I'm confused. I'm afraid."

"You like me, Bonnie, and I like you. What's the problem?"

"Uh, I don't know. You were about to abandon me for Elena," she said incredulously.

"Okay, I see your point, but in my defense, she was going to kill herself, _because of me_." Damon enunciated the words as he pushed his face into Bonnie's.

"She still has a hold over you, Damon."

"…and where does Jeremy fit into all of this? Don't you love him?"

"I mean…well, yeah," Bonnie said unsurely.

"You don't. Be honest with yourself. Yes, I love Elena, but I'm not in love with her. She's not the one for me, and you're not in love with Baby Gilbert," he disputed.

Bonnie swallowed. Something about those words leaving Damon's lips stunned her. She never thought that he would see or acknowledge the truth about his relationship with Elena, but he did, and here she was, still dancing around her true feelings.

"Damon, if I hadn't gotten weak, you'd be back in Mystic Falls, with her. You two would be trying to find a way to work it out. I don't want to be second choice. Not anymore. I want to come first. I want a guy to love me so much that he stops everything to see about me. I want him to love me so much that he'd risk it all _-for me." _Bonnie explained through watery eyes..

"No matter what I do or say, you'll always make up excuses for why we can't be together. I chose to stay here with you because I wanted to protect _you_, above all else."

"Damon, I love what we have. I don't want to mess things up between us by becoming romantically involved. I want you to be my friend. Please." Bonnie explained, voice trembling.

"Okay. If that's what you want." Damon gave in, but not really. He looked at Bonnie, watching her thoughtfully. _Good things come to those who wait,_ he thought, his jaw profusely ticking.

"It's what I want," Bonnie answered.

"Well, may I still buy my friend a gift?" Damon quickly changed the subject.

"How much is this?" He held a necklace up to the woman behind the counter.

"For you, nothing?"

"No, I want to pay for it. It's not a gift if I don't pay."

"Fifteen shillings."

"You don't have any shillings." Bonnie laughed heartily.

"Well, I will. Tupac gave me a job. I'm the captain, so now." Damon wiggled his eyes at Bonnie.

"May I start a tab?" He snickered, and the woman nodded.

"What do you think of this one?" Damon showed the piece of jewelry to Bonnie. It was a leather necklet with three sapphires braided into the necklace.

"I love it!" Bonnie gushed.

Damon lifted the necklace over Bonnie's head and slid it onto her neck.

"It's beautiful, Damon."

"Ah great, Tupac's calling me. I need to speak with him about a few things. I'll meet you at home in a bit. We can work on you controlling your magic, then make dinner. Cool?"

"Yes." Bonnie answered.

"Here. I'll flash our things home. Now you have enough hands to rack up some more free things for the house." Damon laughed and without any conscious thought he leaned down and quickly kissed Bonnie on the lips. He tried pulling away but she grabbed him by his top and pulled him back in for another kiss.

They looked at each other astonished.

"I...I…I…I better finish shopping," Bonnie stuttered, then took off.

Damon smirked at a fleeing Bonnie.

::::::

"Damon!" Tupac bellowed. "Look at you. You look like a true Gardenian."

"Yeah, I do look pretty dashing if I may say so myself." Damon ran his hands over his vest and down the sides of his pants. He then turned his attention to the candlelit town hall, seeing all of the vampires cramped up in their small temporary quarters.

"Wow. I thought all of your men were dead." Damon widened his eyes in astonishment.

"Our Gods have given us another chance. We are truly blessed."

"I guess so." Damon pushed his bottom lip in to his top one. He was enthralled by the fact that so many of Tupac's men had made it. "What did you want to speak to me about?"

"I wanted you to accompany me on a rescue and recovery mission, but since my men have returned, I guess you can go home." Tupac laughed.

"Oh, okay. Well what about work? I need some money," Damon reminded.

"Oh, so it's about the money." Tupac laughed.

"Well, I can't pamper Bonnie if I don't have money."

"Oh yes, the woman. We need to keep them happy. We pay the captain of the guard seven shillings a day."

"Seven? Shit. I need fifteen now."

Tupac laughed. "I'll give you five hundred gold shillings. That should help you and Bonnie get a decent life established. It doesn't nearly pay for all the wonderful things you and Bonnie have done for me and my people, but I hope it helps." Tupac smiled.

"Thanks, and I'm sure it will." Damon returned his politeness before spotting Tupac's basket of fruit. "Are you still eating this crap?" He laughed as he picked up a piece of the verdant fruit from out of Tupac's basket, then took a bite.

"Zinnia wants another baby. I told her about the condition of being a vampire and she asked me to bring her some home. Now, hands off." Tupac pulled the basket towards him.

"I kind of like it. Damon grabbed another."

"Well, it won't work for you. You're a nonbeliever."

"…and it won't work for you because it's fruit, and your wife is a vampire." Damon chuckled, again at how absurd his friend was being.

"I saw you and Bonnie at the market, today. You looked really happy. When is the wedding?"

Damon rolled his eyes as he gobbled up the first piece of fruit. "It's not happening. She wants to be friends. She thinks I'm still in love with Elena," he said with an eye roll.

"Well, can you blame her? You were about to leave her here, alone, in an unknown world for a woman who may or may not kill herself when you should have said a quick prayer for your friend back home and asked the Gods to spare her life." Tupac advised.

"Look, old habits are hard to break. I've been chasing behind this woman for the last two years without so much as a glimmer of hope of getting her, and while running in behind what I thought could have been the best thing for me, I fell in love with her best friend instead," Damon self-acknowledged without giving his words any thought.

"Ah ha, so you are in love with Bonnie."

"No. No. I mean, yeah. Maybe. Did I say that?" Damon squinted his eyes in confusion.

"Last night, you knew Bonnie was hurting. You came back to her, and you never looked back at that portal. You chose her without a doubt. _You chose her,"_ Tupac enunciated.

"No. I chose the woman who needed me the most. Bonnie is a hero. She needs a man with muscle. She's precious cargo. I can't leave her behind. I need to know she's safe. I can't do that if she's not near me. You don't meet someone like Bonnie and walk away. Once you get into her good graces it's hard to get back in them if you mess up. I can't risk losing that." Damon mindlessly ate the second fruit and then ate another.

"Why are my balls tingling?" Damon cupped, scratched, and massaged himself. Tupac laughed.

"That's the verdant. It's working."

"Jesus Christ. Shut the verdant up." Damon mouthed as he took a bite of another piece of the verdant.

"No, now tell me more about Bonnie. What else do you like about her?"

"She's brave, even though she's afraid. She'll risk her life for the ones she loves. If you cross her, she'll let you know it, but once you're her friend, there's nothing she won't do for you. She's loyal. She's beautiful. She can be so serious, but the little girl in her is always ready to come out, and I want to see more of that. She deserves to be happy." Damon looked at Tupac and lightly chuckled as another thought entered his mind.

"She does this adorable thing where she communicates with her eyes. When she hated me, I knew it, because she would stare at me with those judgy little eyes, but when she saw me differently, there were no need for words. Her eyes told me everything." Damon looked all starry-eyed, a goofy grin on his face.

He continued to gobble up more of the fruit.

Tupac was rendered speechless by Damon's description of Bonnie. "You're in love with her, man. You've got to tell her."

"I will, but not now. When the time is right, I will. I respect her decision and right now she wants my friendship, so that's what I'll be, a friend."

"You're making the right call."

"Thanks." Damon reached down into Tupac's basket for another piece of fruit and discovered that all of it was gone. "Oops." He wiggled his eyes at Tupac.

"I cannot believe…I sat here and watched you eat all of my verdant." Tupac glowered.

Damon flashed him a grin and then vamp sped out of the hall.

"Asshole," Tupac hissed.

After Damon spoke with Tupac, he went straight home to spend some time with Bonnie.

He wasn't invested in helping her with magic back in Mystic Falls because he was solely wrapped up in Elena and her inability to be a vampire. Here was yet another moment Damon realized how different he and Elena were.

He finally made it home. He scratched the back of his head curiously while standing in the doorway, wondering where Bonnie had gone. He then rushed down to the market; next, the trading post, still not finding her.

Luckily, he ran into Zinnia. For some reason, Tupac and his wife always seemed to know where everyone in their parish was at any given moment of the day.

_Hm, she's down at the creek. By herself?_ He questioned in thought.

Down at the creek, Bonnie was practicing her magic. She did everything just like her Grams had instructed her to do on the night she took down Silas, but with all that was going on with the village, and her budding feelings for Damon, it left her in emotional peril.

Bonnie opened her eyes. She looked at the water, hoping the rolling waves and the sound of the stream would ease her mind and calm her emotions. She began to chant once more in hopes that she could block out the sun in an extended amount of time without hemorrhaging from the brain and getting weak.

The black veins began to swim across her face as she whispered her magical mantra. The clouds in the sky blackened and rolled quickly in front of the sun.

Damon halted in his tracks and looked up at the sky. He immediately knew what the witch was up to. Considering all the hell Bonnie had gotten herself into while in Mystic Falls and her almost fatal incident here in the new world, he wasn't risking her being alone again.

He flashed down to the brook. In no time flat he was under the rock facing. His blue eyes landed on Bonnie who was sitting on the ground a few yards away from the stream.

Blood dripped from Bonnie's nose. She slowly opened her eyes and wiped away the few droplets sitting on her upper lip. She still hadn't realized that Damon was there. She was too caught up in the fact that she had failed, yet again.

Damon walked slowly over to an unsuspecting Bonnie. He towered over her with his arms folded over his chest, his legs apart, and a reprimanding look on his face.

Bonnie curled her lip into her cheek, finally realizing Damon was there.

The sunrays were soon blaring down upon them once more.

"What do you want, vampire?" She smiled slyly.

"You've been caught red-handed, little witch." Damon smirked.

"I thought you wanted me to practice on controlling my powers?"

"I do, Bonnie, but only when I'm around." Damon twisted his lip in frustration.

"Well, if you're going to help me, help me." Bonnie continued to smile as she turned her gaze to him.

"Alright, let's do this." Damon grinned as he sat down, cross-legged, across from her.

"So you are able to hide the sun for about ten minutes before your-," Damon gestured to his nose, a concerned look on his face.

"Before my fragile and weak body fails me. You can say it." Bonnie lowered her head shamefully.

"Bonnie." Damon grabbed her by the chin and raised her gaze to his. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about. Try to concentrate solely on the spell. Pull your strength from the living things around you." He gave her a loving look.

"Wow, Damon, that's great advice." Bonnie gleamed.

"A witch I used to sleep around with named Bree loved preparing her spells in the woods. I was pretty taken by her wild and crazy chanting. She would call on the earth and the gods. It was some shit like that," Damon explained animatedly with his eyes and hands, then let out a short chortle.

"Well, thanks for the tip." Bonnie grinned. "Okay, here goes." She exhaled, closing her eyes. She rested her hands on her knees, turning her palms towards the heavens.

Bonnie thought about the incantation and what Damon had told her, but she couldn't shake his presence. Here he was, again, supporting her.

Damon made Bonnie feel things in a profound and provocative way. Her magic never felt so powerful and her emotions never felt so tempestuous and alive than when around him.

Damon watched as she chanted. Stars floated in his eyes as he watched how magnificent she was. He was happy to see the witch. It had been too long. He hated seeing Bonnie be the anchor. It was stupid how circumstances and life altering events had made Bonnie a mere form of her strong, beautiful, and egotistical witchy self.

He was suddenly glad that he could finally be here for her, especially after all she had done to make sure that all their friends were safe, time and time again.

Damon blinked quickly, freeing himself of his thoughts, and put his concentration solely back on her.

Bonnie had successfully covered the sun. Damon waited patiently for her magic to fail her, which he hoped to God that it wouldn't, but sadly, he would be disappointed. He watched as a droplet of blood crept down over her lip.

"Bonnie," Damon called softly, but she didn't stop.

"Bonnie," he called again in a more stern voice but still she didn't stop.

"I can do this," she replied surely in between her chants.

"You need to stop, little witch, and let's think about this," he suggested gently but Bonnie kept at it.

This was the Bonnie Bennett that Damon admired the most—her unwavering stubbornness and determination to succeed no matter what.

Bonnie kept going and her nose bled more profusely as she drudged on, but oddly, Damon didn't call to her again, and she wondered why. She continued to chant despite the absence of his voice and the fact that she felt extremely weak and lightheaded.

Bonnie gasped loudly as she felt a pain that she couldn't ignore. It felt like when Damon would sink his incisors into her flesh, but this time it felt much like the night when Elena ferociously attacked her. _Are we being attacked?_ She began to panic.

Bonnie popped open her eyes and roughly pushed her assailant off of her before giving said person an aneurysm.

Damon hollered as he gripped his temples and balled up on the ground.

"Bonnieeee," he grunted in a pleading, gruffly voice.

Bonnie ceased once she realized she was causing her best friend excruciating pain. Damon relaxed his body and sprawled out on the ground, his chest heaving.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" he huffed.

"You don't attack me while I'm in the middle of a spell. Are you crazy?" Bonnie huffed.

"You were killing yourself! I was trying to help you!" Damon bit in a winded voice, eyes like saucers.

"I'm so sorry, Damon," she said genuinely.

"It's okay," he replied before getting to his feet.

"I guess this means you don't want to help me anymore?" She asked unhappily.

"It's going to take a whole lot more than you frying my brain to scare me off, Bon Bon," Damon retorted with a smile. He then grabbed the bottom of his vest, stepping into Bonnie's personal space. He lifted the tail end of his top to Bonnie's face and wiped the blood away from her nose and lips.

The move warmed Bonnie's heart. She gave him the purest of looks. Her angelic face made Damon's heart throb with tenderness for her.

"Thank you," Bonnie declared dazedly. A short awkward silence followed.

"I don't know what it is about this place, but I want to see you happy. I want to be stronger and get you back home to Elena," she said seriously as she cut her eyes bashfully up at him.

"Oh…so it's just this place that makes you like me." Damon laughed. Bonnie cackled, too.

"No." Bonnie shook her head innocently. "You're my best friend, Damon."

"…and you're mine. We'll get home when the time is right and you're stronger. I know me freaking out about Elena worried you, but I didn't say all those things so that you could kill yourself trying to get us back to Mystic Falls. I won't…no. I can't be happy without-," Damon trailed off, his hand gesturing to her.

He looked at her, a painful desire reflected in his eyes. He was nervous. Evidence of his anxiousness was in the constant shuffling of his weight from one foot to the other, and the fact that he didn't seem to know what to do with his hands.

Bonnie's heart began to beat faster. She was winded. She knew what Damon wanted to say because she felt the same way about him. She couldn't imagine being happy with anyone else if he wasn't somewhere in the world enjoying his life, too.

Bonnie forgot all sense of rhyme and reason in a twinkling as she stepped closer to Damon, invading his personal space, her warm breath in his face, fluttering the hair on his forehead. Her green eyes searched over his yearning face fitfully and lustfully and his blue ones searched over hers. A fire ignited inside of them more fiercely than the days passed.

Bonnie could feel her magic churning brutally inside of her. Black veins began to swim across her face, and Damon's supernatural being answered hers as black veins began to swim across his cheeks. He wanted to fuck Bonnie, then make love to her.

He was mad with lust for her. He wanted his entire body to be enveloped by hers.

Damon grabbed Bonnie's forearm with a trembling hand and rubbed it tenderly with his thumb. He needed to feel a part of her heated body against his naked skin.

He was all but sure that Bonnie wouldn't let him have his way with her, and how he wanted to lay his cool body on top of her fiery figure, but he'd settled for this simple touch like he had done on so many other occasions.

He continued to stare into her eyes pleadingly as his chest rose and fell. All he needed was the witch's approval to do very bad good things to her.

Bonnie was still wavering. She wanted him badly, but she still hadn't let go of how Elena would feel if she laid with the man she loved. There was also Jeremy who would probably be angry with her if she slept with the man that had killed him.

Then Bonnie thought of how selfish her friends had been in pursuit of their own sexual whims. They never denied themselves simple pleasures no matter how badly it would hurt the ones they loved.

Jeremy _cheated_ on her…with a fucking ghost! Elena slept with Stefan's brother, and Stefan was the perfect boyfriend. Caroline slept with the man that _murdered_ Tyler's mother, and here she was, billions of light years away, still trying to be the perfect friend and girlfriend.

She had truly gone mad. Bonnie quickly nodded her approval, and in a flash Damon grabbed her face and crashed his lips to hers.

Bonnie opened her mouth wide, allowing Damon's tongue to take a tour of hers. He practically swallowed her face as he gave her a deep-throated heated tongue kiss, holding tightly to her face as she held firmly to his wrists.

Their heads moved slowly against each other's as their tongues vigorously and greedily swirled and brushed the other's as they sucked at lips, tongues, and feverishly moaned into one another's mouths.

Bonnie snatched away from the kiss, ripped opened Damon's vest, and grunted. She was surprised by her own strength.

Damon followed suit with her plunging V-neck shell. He ripped it away from her and threw it to the ground. They both hurried out of their footwear.

Next, Damon undid his pants. Bonnie pushed his hands away, grabbed the waistline of his bottoms, and worked them down his shapely, pale legs. She smiled in awe of his ivory hardness sticking proudly in the air. They both snickered.

Bonnie stared at him in all his naked glory, slowing their exchange immensely as the realization of what they were about to do settled into their awareness.

Damon took Bonnie by the face, rubbing her cheeks softly with his thumbs, then trailed his hands over her slender neck, and down to her breasts.

He rubbed the sides of her bosom and her nipples tenderly before leaning into her left one, taking it into his mouth. He licked slowly around her erect nipple and cupped her boob with his hand and continued to lick and suck it greedily.

He finally pulled himself away from Bonnie's knockers and kissed her again. He licked and sucked on the tip of her tongue and her bottom lip as he cradled her to him. Her scorching breasts were heaven against his cool hard chest.

Bonnie gently pushed him away from her, searching his magical blue eyes with yearning. She then ran her fingers gradually down his neck, over his pale chest, and his carved abdomen. Damon watched her hands ravenously as she gently caressed him. He even went so far as to take her hand, giving it a tour of him.

He wrapped her hand around his stiffened member and they both watched as Damon manipulated Bonnie's hand to stroke his cock. She giggled like a little girl at their exchange. Damon sweetly smiled.

After eagerly stroking Damon's manhood, Bonnie trailed her hands back up to his face and ran her thumb lovingly over his soft mauve lips. The lips that she had kissed so determinedly mere moments ago. She gazed at him for several moments, a weary look soon covering her face. Damon took a hard swallow under her gaze.

He wondered if Bonnie's stalling was her rethinking being with him or if she truly found him a sight to behold.

"You want me?" His voice cracked due to the anxiety that he felt in this moment.

"I want you more than I've ever wanted anything in my life," Bonnie replied unbelievably; she then hurriedly took his face into her hands, giving him another deep and passionate kiss.

She broke away from the kiss and lay down beside the brook.

Damon knelt in front of her. He snatched off her panties and pushed her tiny skirt above her waistline. He could now see her mound of Venus. Bonnie's overgrown bush made him want to weep with joy. He chuckled nervously. For the first time, Damon Salvatore didn't know what to do with pussy.

Hearing Damon's chuckle made Bonnie self-conscious. She closed her eyes, clamped her legs tightly together, and covered her tawny breasts, embarrassed. Damon was still stooped in front of her, his legs spread apart, and his penis proudly saluting her. He ran his hands slowly over Bonnie's knees and slowly spread her legs apart before peeling her hands away from her chest.

Bonnie opened her eyes and Damon smiled. "You're beautiful," he just above a whisper. She returned him her dazzling smile.

He ran his fingers through her lady garden before inserting his middle finger into her hungry slit. He watched his digit quickly enter and exit her wet suctioning center. She was ready for him and he was ready to give Bonnie a good thrashing.

Bonnie swayed her head from side to side, spread her legs wider apart, rubbed her breasts with fervor, and rotated her hips against the ground as Damon's finger made love to her cunt.

He finally had more than he could stand. He crawled eagerly between Bonnie's legs, firmly gripped his throbbing cock, and massaged the insides of her moist folds before dipping his rounded tip repeatedly in and out of her snatch just to torture himself further.

Damon finally freed his rock hard shaft and guided himself into her secret sweetness. Bonnie Bennett was spread eagle underneath him and the fire already burning inside of Damon burned even hotter with the knowledge of her hot, holy cavity enveloping him.

He gave one hard thrust, burying himself in her tight, hot cunt. "Oh, God," Damon moaned involuntarily under his breath, his mouth twisted up.

He gazed into Bonnie's emerald eyes while delivering more slow powerful thrusts into her weeping channel. He pulled his stiffened cock all the way out to the bulbous tip, then buried base deep into her, massaging his bush up against her hairy mound, enjoying the heat of her fiery tunnel around his engorged pipe.

"Bonnie, you feel so good. Shit; shit," he dragged out, breathlessly.

Damon pushed his feet into the earth, spread his legs further apart, and quickened his pace. His buttocks undulated slowly over of her. Bonnie's creamy center called to him with its loud suctioning sounds as his cock reappeared and disappeared inside of her dripping wet canal.

"Damon. _Damon_," Bonnie panted.

His pace quickened with the sound of his name. He plowed in and out of her, hoping to hear his name slip from her luscious lips again and again.

Bonnie's snatch fearlessly defended itself from the vicious attack against her cervix as his purple-headed dick rammed profusely up against her walls. Her penis trap pulled and clenched unmercifully as he drove robustly and deeply into her.

Bonnie screeched her Damons, oh shits, fuck mes, and Oh Gods three octaves above her normal pitch, her mouth dry from her constant hollering, moaning, and panting.

Damon shoveled his arms under her back, smearing the cool earth onto her in the process. He pressed her scorching body into his cool physique and held his cheek stiffly against hers, clutching the hair at the back of her head within a death grip.

Bonnie snaked a hand around his neck and the other at the small of his back. Her lips brushed lightly up against his shoulder as she happily watched Damon's bottom lower and lift rapidly in and out of her cave of lust as he pounded her derriere into the dirt.

Damon finally slowed his movements, giving her cunt a little mercy. Seeing his hips slowly rotate on top of her made sweet nectar flow from Bonnie's center like water as her muscles throbbed unrelentingly around his cock.

Damon pushed his body away from Bonnie's, wrapping his arms behind her knees, pushing her legs wider apart, allowing him to plunge deeper into her snatch. He arched his back and dug his fingers deep into the dirt. His dick plunged fluidly into her creamy tunnel as his balls clapped hurriedly against her slit, making her even wetter.

Damon smiled in amazement. He was officially balls deep in Bonnie Bennett.

He always wondered what it would be like to be with her, the girl with the dazzling smile. He had never been with someone so meek, passionate, and kindhearted towards her friends and enemies alike, and he knew in his heart that she would be a good lover, too. Her selfless nature had all but told him that she was the kind of woman that would please her man in any way possible, especially if her were good to her.

_God she is so beautiful, sexy. I know there's a little freak in you, Bonnie Bennett, _he whispered within as he looked lustfully down on her.

Damon then swung her left leg passed his chiseled chest so that Bonnie was now on her side. He pushed his legs apart, rested a hand on the side of her buttocks and took her roughly from the side. His rock hard cock persistently and punitively plunged into her tight snatch, forcing her contracting muscles apart. He pounded into her so profusely that her breasts jiggled all over her chest and her voice vibrated when she moaned.

Damon quickly snatched Bonnie up on her knees and hurriedly pushed himself back inside of her warm loving wound. He spread her buttocks apart and held them in place with his fingers pressed firmly into her soft bottom. He pounded into her madly from behind. The move elicited loud grunts, whimpers, and screams from both Bonnie and Damon.

"Ahhhh, yes; yes," Damon moaned in a low, husky voice. He moaned as if he were drinking a tall glass of lemonade on a hot summer's day.

Bonnie dug her fingernails deep into the earth. She was elated with his painful and wonderful penetrations. The sweet sound of Damon's pelvis clapping happily against her bottom filtered loudly throughout the air, and Bonnie loved the sound of it.

"Fuck me. Fuck me!" She chanted. Bonnie never thought such vulgar words could escape her lips, yet here she was.

Secretly, Bonnie had always wondered what it would be like to sleep with the mysterious, fearless, and beautiful Damon. He was the guy that most girls dreamed about. Now here she was living that dream, and the fact that he loved the way she felt around him gave her even more pleasure and it made her even wetter. She could hear him tell her again and again how good her vagina felt to him.

"Do you love the way I feel?" She panted.

"I love your pussy, Bonnie. I love it so much," Damon declared in a winded voice as he watched himself quickly enter and exit her. Bonnie smiled as she closed her eyes.

"I want to ride you," she said breathlessly.

Damon ripped himself out of her, then quickly lay on the ground. He watched as Bonnie straddled him. She placed her warm weeping folds over his stiffened member and slowly worked herself down onto him. Damon watched her all the while with a rigorous gaze.

Bonnie rested her hands between his armpits and held her head stiffly to the side as she closed her eyes. She rotated her hips robustly over him, massaging her clit vigorously up against his raven bush which induced the most pleasant of feelings in her warm, gushy center.

"Look at me," Damon said hoarsely.

Bonnie turned her gaze to him as she slowed her movements. They stared at each other for a spell while she slowly humped him. She then ran her dirt covered hands over his abs before leaning into him and placing a series of sweet wet kisses over his chest. Damon ran his fingers through her hair, her dark brown tresses lightly brushed against his hard chest as she moved her lips bit by bit from one side of his chest to the other.

Damon cupped her face and tenderly kissed her lips before snaking an arm around her and rolling her back over into the missionary position.

He pushed himself away from her, arched his back, and began to move inside of her with vigor.

They both watched intently as Bonnie's center laced Damon's dick with her creamy goodness. He slowly pulled and pushed himself in and out of her; his buttocks pinched tightly together as he held himself inside her. He slightly wiggled his rigid manliness in her loving cunt before pulling out again. There was nothing greater in the world to Damon Salvatore then bathing in Bonnie's velvety center.

He could do this all day but he was ready to cement the deal with her and what better way to do that then filling her with his liquescent love. Damon quickened his pace. He plunged quickly inside of her, trying to rush that wonderful feeling along.

A wonderful feeling began to well up in Bonnie's lower abdomen as Damon continued to rapidly plunge his porcelain shaft into her moist snatch. Her center clenched and throbbed severely around his stiffened cock, causing his release to rush to the vanguard.

"Ah fuck. Bonnie. Bonnie," Damon grunted her name as he erupted inside of her.

Bonnie's body quickly followed suit with an eruption of its own.

"Yes! Ah shit! No! Yes!" Bonnie panted hysterically as she closed her eyes and licked her lips for moisture. She had experienced her first orgasm and with Damon Salvatore no less.

Damon collapsed on top of Bonnie as he filled her pussy with his nectar. Bonnie palmed and squeezed his buttocks firmly as she cradled her heated pelvis snugly against his. She let out a joyful winded chortle as she trembled beneath him.

She then keyed into his warm semen pouring into her. She crinkled her brow in confusion. Damon was a cold blooded creature. _His cum shouldn't be warm,_ she thought. She quickly shook the thought from her awareness. She couldn't believe that Damon came inside of her. She thought he only saved this part of himself for Elena, but he shared himself with her, and knowing this made their moment even more extraordinary.

She rubbed her cheek to his and continued to soak up the wonderful, tender, and intimate moment between them in pure euphoria.

The vampire sniffed Bonnie's hair as he ran his fingers through the dirt before turning his gaze to the rock facing, making sure this moment was really happening. _This is real, _he smiled outwardly.

Bonnie's center continued to flow over him and clench at his hardened member. The move brought him happily back to reality.

_Bonnie,_ his mind happily whispered.

For the first time, _ever,_ Bonnie gave into a pleasure-seeking moment. She thought about herself, did what she wanted to do, and she didn't regret her actions. She didn't regret giving herself to a man who was now her best friend.

She certainly didn't regret giving herself to a man that had given her a second chance at life, a man that stood at the edge of the world with her, rode a dark portal into nowhere, and had sought her out frantically when they were ripped apart after arriving into the unknown.

Damon then looked down on the face of the woman that he believed to be right for him in every way. Even during sex they were completely in sync.

He nudged her nose with his before kissing her lips ever so sweetly. He pushed his lips slowly into hers and her lips pushed back. The only kiss sweeter than this one was that of a child's lips tenderly kissing its mother's.

"I got to have you," Bonnie whispered hypnotically against his lips.

Damon held her face snugly as he ran sweet kisses over her right cheek then down her neck affectionately and repeatedly. "…and I got to have you," he said amorously.

"Bon Bon let me cum inside of her little kitty cat," he murmured playfully in a low, husky voice, his lips lightly sweeping against her neck, tickling her sensitive spot.

"Nooo, don't say that." She giggled like a little girl, embarrassed by his dirty talk.

They lay in each other's grasp, her soft feet massaging his leg as she rubbed his back with one hand and ran her fingers through the hair at the back of his head with the other.

Damon stopped his loving ministrations to look down at Bonnie, once more. _Everything changes_. He thought with a smile. There was no way after feeling Bonnie around him that he would be able to label her as merely a best friend.

Bonnie felt metaphorically naked under Damon's lustful gaze. She undoubtedly wanted Damon but she wasn't ready to commit. Mystic Falls was a heartbeat away. The gang was trying to bring them back.

Bonnie clung tight to Damon's and Elena's relationship. They were selfish for each other. Theirs was a destructive kind of love, one in which she didn't want to be the third wheel. Her mind came back to reality when she felt Damon moving inside of her.

He grabbed her hands, interlocked their fingers, and pinned Bonnie to the ground as he rotated inside of her.

"Yes," she softly moaned as Damon quickened his pace.

They began panting and moaning into each other's mouths.

Bonnie hurriedly freed her hands, wrapping her arms around Damon's head and neck, trailing her thin fingers briskly through his soft raven hair. Practicing magic would have to wait for another day.

::::::

It was well over midnight and Bonnie found herself in the cowgirl position with Damon for the sixth time that day. He gripped her firmly by her slender waist and lifted and lowered her quickly on top of him. He looked at her ravenously, his lips all twisted up, and his hair all over his head.

The light of the moons shone brightly through their window and right down onto Bonnie and her beautiful tawny skin.

Bonnie held tightly to Damon's forearm with one hand as she rested the other firmly against his chiseled abs, gazing down on his beautiful pale face.

"Uh, uh," Damon lemented barely above a whisper. He couldn't stop the sounds that escaped his lips. Bonnie's center, which he now felt was his very own personal cock cave, elicited all kinds of whimpers, grunts, and pants from his vocal chords.

Bonnie also had her own little chorus of yeses and oohs that she hummed right along with his uhs and ahs. They were quite in sync with one another.

"Here I come." Damon grabbed Bonnie by her derriere, spreading her cheeks and his legs wide apart as he energetically worked his release to its epicenter.

"Ahhh, it's me," Damon grunted as he rotated and grind slowly into her, riding out his release. He zealously massaged and palmed her perky bottom while he filled her secret sweetness with his velvety love. After riding out his ejaculation, he cupped her face, and gently squeezed her cheeks together.

"I'm falling in love with you, Bonnie," he whispered, gazing deep into her eyes before bringing her lips down to his. He gave her the sweetest kiss, and then pulled slowly away, taking a little moisture away from her lips as he went.

The kiss sent chills up and down Bonnie's spine. She looked at him and suddenly her body didn't seem like hers anymore.

Bonnie had made love all morning, afternoon, evening, and night to the man her best friend was threatening to take her life over, and that same man had now professed his love to her. A part of her was on cloud nine and the other part of her felt nauseous. She ripped herself off of Damon, lay down onto the bed, and gently rubbed her stomach.

"Bonnie, are you okay?" Damon rubbed her shoulder and kissed her cheek with his cool lips.

"I feel nauseous. I'll be okay." She snuggled her head into the pillow and tightly closed her eyes. She felt Damon leave the bed then come back, something moist and cool was now on her belly and she welcomed it.

"I'll take care of you. Nothing and no one can come between us." Damon spoke into her ear.

Bonnie's eyes popped open. _Everything changes,_ her thoughts echoed.

::::::


	9. Chapter 9: Guilt & Innocence

**A/N: **This chapter has been newly edited (as well as one and two) replaced, and some changes have been made. I hope you enjoy!

**Oblivion Chapter 9: Guilt &amp; Innocence **

Bonnie woke up before sunrise. The plethora of emotions she felt wouldn't let her sleep. She looked over at a naked Damon. He was smiling in his sleep. Seeing him happy, elicited a smile from her.

Although she was happy to have made love to Damon, she still couldn't help but feel guilty for sleeping with the love of her best friend's life.

As her mind ran rampant with guilt, Bonnie was completely oblivious to what her heart and body wanted as she absentmindedly ran her thin fingers over Damon's bare abdomen and chest.

The three moons were still hanging in the sky, shining brightly into their home and right down onto Damon's pale, naked body.

Her emerald eyes searched his beautiful physique from head to toe. Damon Salvatore was as beautiful as an angel. She gazed at him in a trance, her face serene. Her eyes lingered once they reached Damon's manhood.

She swallowed. It had been inside of her. She could still feel his hardened member moving in and out of her so effortlessly.

Bonnie closed her eyes, quivering in remembrance of it all. She now knew what it was like to make love to Damon Salvatore. She had wondered about it off and on throughout the years and now she knew.

Bonnie opened her eyes, again. They were moistened by the surfeit of emotions that violently churned in her heart and soul. She thought if she had a good cry it would help purge them. She felt guilty, happy, worried, and yes, she felt love, and protective over the man lying next to her.

_I can't be with you, Damon,_ she thought.

Bonnie caressed his cheek as she drifted into him. She kissed him on his forehead, nose, and lips and Damon stirred in his sleep. He shifted on the bed as she gently massaged his chest, her warm touch instantly causing him to drift back into slumber.

She could lie in Damon's embrace all day and night, but alas, the guilt she felt over sleeping with him drove her away. It caused her to shut down and ignore her own feelings and contentment.

Bonnie made up in her mind in this moment to not sleep with Damon, again.

She pushed all her emotions to the dark corners of her mind. She hopped out of bed, took a shower, and rushed out of the house. She didn't want to be there when Damon woke. Now that she had given herself to him, and she knew what it felt like to be with him, Bonnie was sure that he could wheedle her legs open, yet again.

::::::

Damon woke up, grinning. He finally made love to Bonnie.

He stretched his arms over his head, spread his toes, and yawned before he looked to her side of the bed. She wasn't there. He crinkled his brow, worriedly and sat up.

Damon swiftly slipped on his pants. He rushed to the window, to the sound of loud snarling. It was George, their animal, wolfing down some of the yellow fruit.

Damon hurried out of their home. He looked up and down the pathway, but Bonnie was nowhere to be found. If this were any ordinary day back in Mystic Falls, he wouldn't be so worried.

This place was a whole new world. There were still plenty of mysteries to unlock, things that still had not been discovered.

Damon sat down on the steps. He looked down at his feet as they rested on the dirt covered ground. He curled up his toes and massaged them into the dirt as he linked his fingers together between his spread legs.

Waiting on Bonnie seemed like the logical thing to do. She had him so wide open now. He was anxious to see her and wrap his arms around her. She could tell him to jump off the Golden Gate Bridge naked and he would. Damon smiled. He was officially sprung on Miss Bonnie Bennett, and he liked being sprung.

He began to wonder what Bonnie looked like now that they had made love. He wondered how she would act now, too. His thoughts about her warm core being wrapped around his manhood provoked the biggest and goofiest grin from the dashing, always confident Damon.

He was already linked to her mentally, but now he was connected to her emotionally and physically. Bonnie gave him the most precious part of herself, and he wanted more, more of her loving, time, and all of her heart.

Damon sat on the steps for over an hour waiting for Bonnie. It finally dawned on him that he had professed his love to her when they made love. He sighed in recollection of what he had done and immediately began to worry if his declaration had frightened Bonnie and pushed her away him.

Her actions were still contingent upon the feelings and loyalty she felt for Elena.

Damon supposed his actions should be driven by his love for Elena as well, but being here with Bonnie, and the fact that he had dated Elena, he knew what it was like to be with her. It was easier for him to let go. This world had showed him what he truly wanted and needed in a woman, and Bonnie was his ideal mate.

Damon was soon taken from his thoughts when he heard footsteps approaching. He looked up and smiled once seeing that it was Bonnie. The moment his eyes met hers, Bonnie looked away and down at her feet.

Damon wasn't surprised. He was disappointed but not surprised. If she was hell-bent on avoiding him after their heated kiss, surely, she'd be trying to find another place to live now that they'd had sex. When he saw her walking down the walkway with a basket full of clothes, he was sure she was on her way back to him to tell him just that, she was moving out to a place of her own.

Once Bonnie approached, he reached for the basket she was carrying and she relinquished it without fuss.

Bonnie's eyes finally met Damon's. She was nervous. He could tell.

"Good morning," he greeted seductively. He leaned down to kiss her mouth, but his lips met her cheek instead.

Damon frowned, but he had expected this much. Whatever Bonnie was feeling, he wanted to respect those feelings. He had even decided to give her some time to adjust to the new dynamic in their relationship.

"Morning," Bonnie said distractedly; her eyes quickly darted from Damon's perfectly chiseled chest, his face, and then to the entrance of their home.

Once inside, Bonnie began unpacking their things. Damon found himself unable to take his eyes off her. She seemed different or maybe it was he who felt different. His body had actually joined with hers. Their souls had intertwined harmoniously and their bodily fluids swirled and mingled with each other's.

Damon leaned up against the wardrobe, smiling like an idiot.

"So, are we going to talk about the fact that we made love, or, are we going to pretend that it never happened?" Curiosity had finally gotten the better of him. The quicker they worked through her insecurities and all the reasons why they should move forward with their relationship, the sooner they could get on with their blissful, faux married life.

"Yes, we made love. It was… it was…," Bonnie stammered for the words, not sparing Damon a glance.

"It was amazing is what it was," Damon waggled his brow.

Bonnie turned to him seriously. "It still doesn't change my decision. Someday we have to go back to Mystic Falls. Elena will be there. Jeremy will be there. She's not going to give up on you."

"I'm not good for Elena, and she's not good for me; you are." He stared her down, returning her serious gaze.

"She's my best friend, Damon, and she's the woman you chased after for two years, breaking your brother's heart in the process just so you could have her. Remember? …and besides, I've already crossed girl code by sleeping with you. I won't do any more damage by becoming involved in a relationship with you, too."

"Really? Really, Bonnie? I broke guy code when I slept with my brother's ex a day later and you don't see me moping around about it. You can't deny yourself happiness because someone else's feelings might get hurt."

"Wow, Stefan must be so proud to have a brother like you." Bonnie rolled her eyes. "You really hurt him, Damon, and the fact that you don't care is horrifying. Has it ever occurred to you that your brother could live for all of eternity and never fall in love again? He would be completely alone. That doesn't bother you?"

"Look, I never meant to hurt my brother."

Bonnie widened her eyes at Damon after the bold face lie slipped from his lips.

"Okay, at first I wanted to hurt my brother. I wanted him to feel all the pain I felt when Katherine admitted to loving him more than me, but in the end, I felt bad about the fact that I spent the entire summer rolling around in bed with the love of his life and not thinking about him," he explained guiltily as he animatedly and nervously moved his hands about.

"...but you didn't feel bad enough to let Elena go, knowing you two were all wrong for each other. You should stop being so selfish. It's not always about you. Your actions hurt people, Damon, and I won't let you guilt-trip me into hurting my friend."

Damon twisted his lip up in anger. He was annoyed by her comment, mostly because it was true.

"You need to think more about yourself. You say you want happiness, but you don't. You're too selfless, Bonnie. You're selfless to a fault. No one cares enough about you to give up their life so that you can be happy, but _you_, you just lay down and give up everything you care about so that these people can live the life you dreamed about. Did it ever occur to you that you could have saved your own father if you hadn't been so gung ho about bringing Jeremy back for Elena?" Damon hissed.

"Are you finished?" Bonnie snapped.

"I don't even know why I care if you live or die because you sure as hell don't."

"I'm done with this conversation. I'm not going to argue with you, not today," Bonnie roughly grabbed some clothes out of the basket. She began roughly folding them, and angrily pushing them into drawers, slamming them shut while giving Damon the cold shoulder.

Damon knew his comment about Bonnie's father was a low blow, but when she pointed out to him what a horrible brother he had been to Stefan, it struck a nerve. It actually hurt him. He rolled his eyes at himself before grabbing an article of clothing out of the basket. The last thing he wanted to do was make Bonnie mad with him. He didn't want to ruin her day. It wasn't his intention at all.

"Do you want my help?"

"No," Bonnie snapped.

Damon ignored her and began folding a pair of pants. He smiled at them when he realized that they were men's pants. Bonnie went shopping. She'd thought about him.

"We need another dinner table. Tupac is giving us five hundred gold shillings for all the help we've been to the village. That should be enough to buy us a nice kitchen table," he smiled at Bonnie who was still giving him the silent treatment.

"Maybe we can buy a bigger house," he added.

Bonnie slowly turned her gaze to his. "You want separate bedrooms? You don't like sleeping with me?" She asked uneasily, a wounded look in her eyes. Her questions were a complete contradiction to what she had declared earlier.

"No." Damon chuckled.

His laughter was refreshing and so beautiful to her. She beamed as she folded her bottom lip into her mouth.

"We need a bigger house so after we mess up the bed, we can make love on the floor," he winked at Bonnie. She giggled.

Damon flashed Bonnie an affectionate look. An awkward silence followed.

He cupped her cheek with his finger and thumb before trailing the back of his fingers over her cheek.

Bonnie gazed at him, her eyes like saucers. Damon dropped the pants on the floor. He took Bonnie by the face and drifted into her. His head went right, hers went left.

Damon's lips finally made contact. They were soon enthralled in a passionate kiss.

Damon pulled at the laces on her shirt. Bonnie grabbed his wrist and pushed her lips away from his.

"We can't, Damon," she whispered against his mouth.

"I want you so much," he said against her lips.

"Come on, let's go wash our clothes," Bonnie rushed away from him, leaving him disappointed.

"You're like a bird. You always fly away when I get too close," he looked at her with his hands on his hips.

"I'm sorry, Damon. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you, but if we don't end whatever it is we're doing, it won't be just us who'll end up hurt. You understand?" Bonnie explained gently.

"Ten-four, Miss Bennett," Damon grinned. Whenever things got sticky or he felt hurt, he used humor to hide his pain. This time was no different.

He grabbed Bonnie by the face and gave her a hard wet kiss on the cheek before grabbing their basket of dirty clothes.

Bonnie exited the house first, leaving a broken-hearted Damon behind. He was crushed by her unwillingness to give into them and it would take everything inside of him to pretend that he was okay with them being just friends.

::::::

A week later, Stefan and the gang were back in Mystic Falls. Stefan told Lucy that she and her friends could stay at the boarding house as long as they were in town.

They slowly pulled up to the house. Everyone climbed out of the car and unloaded their things whilst Stefan sat behind the steering wheel, his eyes moistening at the sight of his and Damon's old home.

A wave of memories flooded him. Even without his humanity, bouts of his true self peeped through.

"Are you coming? We can't get in without you," Enzo yelled from the top step.

Stefan climbed out of the car. He grabbed Lucy's bags along the way and carried them to the front door.

"Wow, I didn't peg you for a gentleman. Dumb ass, yes, but gentleman, no," Stefan said to Enzo, who was carrying Melissa's and Cassie's bags.

"I try," Enzo grinned.

"Yeah, you try in the hopes of getting laid." Stefan snickered at how desperate the knock off version of his brother was.

Stefan unlocked the door to his former home and pushed it open. The door slowly swung back. Once meeting its destination, it gently bounced against the doorstop. Stefan looked down the foyer.

"Are we going inside?" Lucy asked after they waited for several awkward, silent moments at the entrance with Stefan.

He finally stepped over the threshold, twirled his keys around his finger, then smiled.

"Home, sweet home," he whispered.

"Wow, this place is nice," Cassie beamed.

"Yes, yes it is," Lucy stated before rushing up the stairs as fast as her feet would carry her.

"Where are you going?" Melissa shouted.

"She's trying to claim the bigger room!" Cassie shouted then took off behind Lucy. Melissa quickly followed.

"I thought they'd never leave," Enzo said coolly.

He pulled out his flask of liquor and took a swallow. He handed the canister over to Stefan who gladly took a swig as well.

"Remind me to stock the house with the good stuff before I leave," Stefan grinned.

"You got it. So, what's the deal with you and Lucy? Is she as good in bed as I imagine?"

"I don't kiss and tell, clone."

Enzo laughed.

"Stefan."

Stefan and Enzo turned their gaze to the person standing at the entrance. It was Caroline.

"Well, hello beautiful." Enzo flirted as Caroline came strolling into the living room.

Stefan glowered at Enzo's comment. "You're early," he said coolly.

"I missed you," she answered.

"Why don't I give you two some privacy." Enzo hurried upstairs.

"How sweet. You missed me." Stefan grinned as he sat down on the couch, crossing his legs.

"Have you heard anything? Was the spell successful?"

"No." He sighed. His once happy face was now serious.

"Don't give up. I'm sure Bonnie and Damon are alive and okay," she encouraged.

"Yeah, maybe."

"Are you going to call Elena?"

"Why, so she can drive me up the fucking wall with her, _we have to find Damon. We have to get Damon back,_" Stefan mocked in a faux female voice and rolled his eyes at how ridiculous Elena was.

"She is a bit of a pill these days." Caroline moseyed over to Stefan. She sat down on the coffee table, staring at him stoically.

Stefan's eyes were fixed blankly at the place where Caroline now sat.

There was a cold and distant look in Stefan's eyes that worried Caroline. She hated what Damon's death had done to him. She wanted her friend back. There was now a void in her heart where her friendship with Stefan used to be.

Before the entire ugly mess had gone down, Caroline could feel them getting closer. They were evolving into more than just friends. She'd be lying to herself if she said she wasn't falling in love with him.

"Stefan-," Caroline was cut off.

"Stefan, we're all settled in," Lucy chimed.

"Good," Stefan jumped up from the couch and flashed over to Lucy.

She snaked her hands behind his neck and gave him a kiss on the lips. Stefan grabbed the back of Lucy's head, giving her a heated and deep throated tongue kiss.

"Um, um." Caroline cleared her throat, annoyed.

"Oh, where are my manners. Lucy Bennett, meet my favorite bloodsucker, Caroline Forbes."

"Lucy Bennett? Any relation to Bonnie?"

"Yes, she's my cousin."

"Yeah, she's her twentieth cousin on her father, mother, aunt, uncle, and grandmother's side of the family."

"Shut up." Lucy squeezed his cheeks.

"Are… are you two together?"

"NO!" Lucy gasp.

"Hell no!" Stefan spat.

They both chuckled.

"Stefan keeps my bed cold when it gets too hot," Lucy joked.

"Ugh," Caroline grunted loudly. "Wow, Stefan, just when I think you can't disappoint me any more than you already have, you do." She rolled her eyes, then flashed out of the house.

"Wow, you better go after her." Lucy shook her head at how ridiculous Caroline was being.

"Yeah, you're probably right. Caroline! Wait!" Stefan flashed outside after her.

"I don't want to talk to you, Stefan."

"Oh, God, you're jealous. Really, Caroline?"

"I'm not jealous. I just can't understand why you want to be some witch's man candy."

Stefan chuckled.

"Have you always been such a whiney bitch? I never noticed it before because my head was stuck up Elena's ass."

"Ugh, fuck you."

"Oh, now. Caroline, look, I don't understand why you are so angry with me. I told you what I want. I've been up front with you. It's not like I owe you an explanation. You're not my woman."

"I know what you told me, but this isn't you. I want the old Stefan back."

"Well, we can't always get what we want."

"You make me so angry, Stefan."

"…and you are really hot when you're angry."

"Stefan, stop being-," Caroline was cut off by Stefan's mouth.

He flashed her up against the car and planted a dry kiss on her lips. Caroline opened her mouth, inviting Stefan inside. He hurriedly slipped his tongue into her mouth. She was happy to be kissing Stefan, but she felt nothing.

He wasn't there emotionally. She slowly pulled away from him as she rested her forehead on his. There first real kiss wasn't supposed to be so lackluster. It was supposed to be heated, powerful, and emotional, but she felt anything but.

"Why won't you let me in?" Caroline whispered against his lips.

"Don't try to turn this into something more. I kissed you to shut you up."

"You are such an ass." She laughed. She couldn't stay mad at him, even when he was being a total prick.

"I do have a great ass," Stefan teased.

"That's not what I meant, Salvatore."

"I know what you meant. Where is Tyler?" Stefan hurriedly changed the conversation, trying to get the attention off of him.

"He is with Matt and Jeremy."

"Why haven't you two patched things up?"

"Things will never be the same with us since that thing with Klaus."

"That thing with Klaus. Jesus, Caroline, you fucked his mother's murderer."

"Hey, you're supposed to be on my side."

"I am, but you were wrong."

"Are you the same guy that punched him because he roared up at me?" Caroline roughly folded her arms over her chest.

"I am that same guy, unfortunately, but now that I think about it, Tyler had every right not to want you around him, and I was wrong for getting in between you two."

"Ugh, now you've gone and ruined my day. Now I feel guilty."

"Don't let this ruin your day. Just admit you were a dirty little slut and move on," Stefan said playfully.

"Ugh, I hate you." She giggled.

"You wish you could hate me." He smiled before flashing Caroline an affectionate look. They looked at each other for several moments before Stefan decided to break the silence.

"Why don't you all come by the house tomorrow? We'll drink, maybe screw. Who knows where the night will take us."

Caroline laughed. "Do you want me to invite Elena and Jeremy, too?"

"I almost ripped your heart out. Please don't mention her name again, and please don't invite Baby Gilbert. He will only tell the socio." He smirked. Caroline snickered.

"Okay. Well, I better go, but I'll see you later." Caroline gave him a hug and quickly kissed him on the cheek before hopping into her car and driving off.

Stefan watched the car until it disappeared from his sight. He smiled and touched the cheek that Caroline had kissed.

"I'll see you soon, Caroline."

::::::

Matt, Jeremy, and Tyler enjoyed a game of pool at The Grill. Jeremy watched his friends as they played against each other. Bonnie soon came across his mind. He remembered when they played pool together. Bonnie was so hot. He was in complete shock when she finally noticed him, too.

He then thought about how he'd cheated on her with Anna.

He could kick his own ass for cheating on her with a ghost. He was so glad that they worked passed that most unfortunate time in their lives. They really hadn't worked passed it. Bonnie's dying and coming back to life overshadowed what he had done to her, and neither one of them cared to address the issue.

As the good and bad times with Bonnie ran through Jeremy's mind, he thought about the night she called him, telling him that she couldn't be saved and that she was dying. She had been with him for most of the fall, and she never mentioned to him that she was dying along with the Other Side.

He began to feel angry with Bonnie. She never included him in on big issues in her life. She always left him in the dark like he was some little boy who needed protecting. In this very moment, he could no longer ignore the trust and communication issues that he and Bonnie had in their relationship. If Bonnie did come back today, he wasn't so sure that he could pick up where they left off.

That night when she called him wasn't the first time she had pulled a stunt like that. She did the same thing once before, when she and Damon came up with a plan to fake her own death to save her from Klaus. Bonnie left him in the dark, but she was okay with working with her arch enemy.

It finally dawned on him that whenever there was a plan that involved her getting hurt or possibly dying, Damon was always at the center of said plan.

He began to wonder how Bonnie could trust and feel so comfortable telling a man that she hated so much about her plans and not him, the man she loved.

"Hey, Gilbert. What's up?" Tyler asked, as he leaned against the pool table.

"Why didn't Bonnie ever trust me?"

"She did trust you," Matt answered.

"No, she didn't."

"What are you fussing about man? She's gone. How can you be angry with her? She was only trying to protect you, unlike your sister," Tyler spat.

"I know what a bitch my sister is, okay? I'm talking about Bonnie. I could have saved her. She led me to believe that she was okay, that everything was great. She lied to me."

"Jer, don't you think you're taking this a little too seriously? Bonnie loved you man. When you love someone you protect them."

"Whatever. I don't know why I thought you two would understand." Jeremy placed his soda on the bar and quickly left The Grill.

"Come on, Jer," Matt called.

"Let him go. He needs some time to cool off," Tyler added.

::::::

The Nyanja race consisted of large and highly evolved individuals of every race. They were the only race of people that used all of their brain capacity at all times. Whatever the Bari had—Tupac's race—the Nyanja bodies had twice as much.

Shing, the leader of Emerald City, sat on his throne rubbing his thumb and finger together. He had a most horrible dream of a lesser creature defeating him. How could a woman, so tiny, defeat him, an eight in a half foot tall, large, and very muscular wizard?

He stared at his marble flooring with a piercing angry gaze as he waited on his seer to confirm if his vision was a mere figment of his imagination. It had to be. No one could defeat him. He was a God among men.

"You wanted to see me?" Luna, a six-foot-five-inch tall woman entered the room. She was dressed in a fine silk dress that swept the floor when she walked.

Luna was a khaki-skinned woman with long black silky hair. She was the brains behind Shing's leadership.

She stood in front of her leader, her hands crossed in front of her, smiling.

"I need a reading," Shing bellowed in his deep, monstrous voice.

"You want me to confirm if your vision is true?"

"You know that's what I want; otherwise, I would have never called you here," he said frustratingly.

"The outlander will be the end of you."

"No," he twitched uneasily in his chair.

"Yes."

"No one can defeat me. You said so yourself," he argued.

"That was before she arrived."

"You said no one was stronger than me. How is this possible?"

Luna could hear a hint of fear in her leader's voice.

"The outlander was born with her power. You practice magic. Your brain makes it possible for you to perform certain tasks, but her power is in her blood; it's in her lineage."

"NOOOO!" Shing shouted. He jumped up off his throne in a fit of rage. He hit the granite wall, splintering the barrier. He marched over to one of the seer's guards, grabbed him by the face and crushed his skull, brain matter flying everywhere.

"You lied to me!" He screamed, his spittle shooting on her face.

Luna smiled evilly. "Calm down, Shing. You can destroy her now while she's still trying to gain control of her power," she answered, calmly, her voice both sinister and seductive.

"You better not being lying to me, so help you," he said coldly.

"Aren't I always right." She smiled as she rubbed her fingers over the angry man's chest. He looked down at her hand on his muscular torso. The move instantly soothed him.

"I'm not in the mood. Just tell me how to find her," Shing murmured, then walked away.

:::::

It was a beautiful, sunny day in Gardenia, but Tupac remained cooped up in his newly acquired dark office. There were many things that needed to be done for the city and he had to come up with a plan to get everything the townspeople needed and to a lesser extent the things that the people wanted.

Tupac finally discovered that Chogan had been hiding under his home within the city the entire time. He had been surviving off the blood of rodents and insects.

Chogan renounced himself as leader which made Tupac and Zinnia the new rulers of Gardenia. The former leader moved to another city. He couldn't face the embarrassment he felt of having been so weak when his people needed him the most.

Besides making sure the city was protected and had plenty of food, Tupac also had new dilemmas. One of which was to put the newly turned vampires back into population. What Gardenia was in bad need of were soldiers, and the new leader couldn't go another week without his.

The last thing he wanted to do was pull Damon and Bonnie into another dangerous mission, but alas, he would have to call upon them, again. Their new mission could be their most dangerous, yet. They would have to invade Emerald City's mines and steal enough precious gems for daylight rings for all his men.

Due to the new problems and obstacles facing the city, Zinnia and Tupac decided against having another child. They were too concerned about the children they already had. The last thing they wanted to do was bring another life into the world, considering all the mayhem going on around them currently.

After mapping out all their problems and the possible solutions to those plights, he decided to share them with his people in true Gardenia fashion, a grand celebration with lots of food, drink, and magical herbs..

::::::

It was a week later, and Bonnie and Damon were still dancing around each other's feelings.

Bonnie thought about Damon on and off while she helped Zinnia and her friends prepare sweetbreads for dinner. Even though she gawked at him, imprinting the image of him in her brain every morning before she left, she still missed him immensely. She blasted herself mentally for letting things get awkward between them, but no more, she wasn't going to let the fact that they had slept together keep her from her friend.

Bonnie snatched her apron off, excused herself from the women, and then made a mad dash back home.

Damon sulked the entire week after he and Bonnie made love. She was keeping her distance from him and it made him miserable. A part of him wished that they had never made love. He'd rather have her companionship and closeness then nothing at all. He laughed at himself as he walked down the pathway leading to their home.

When he and Elena broke up, he most certainly did not want to be her friend, and it wasn't until now that he realized why. He didn't respect Elena, she was too much like him, and she was too clingy.

Damon walked into his home and widened his eyes in amazement. Bonnie was home, and she was awake.

"Uh, hey," he greeted unsurely, a stunned look on his face.

"Hey, yourself," Bonnie greeted nervously.

"Where you off to?" Damon asked.

"It's laundry day."

"Oh, okay. I guess I'll see you later," he smiled sweetly at her.

"Actually, I was hoping we could do our laundry together. I miss hanging out with you." Bonnie cut her eyes nervously at him.

"I would love to go with you," he smiled. "Let me get my things."

::::::

As they washed their clothes on the creek, Bonnie couldn't help but smile at how dreamy-eyed Damon looked as he gazed at the beautiful trees with their purple, pink, and yellow buds. He looked adorable to Bonnie as he blindly washed his clothes. He would drop his sponge and sightlessly feel around for it as he watched the little critters in the forest in awe.

Bonnie also took in the beauty of their surroundings. She loved how the sun rays would shine down, right through the leaves and tree branches. It made it easier to see the seeds travelling from one place to the other. The spores looked like an endless army of parachutists released from an airplane as the wind currents and gentle breezes carried them to the distant fertile valley and nearby mountain slopes.

The wonderful aroma of the grass and the flowers along with the crisp clean water that flowed down stream made Bonnie feel purified and alive. A dreamy-eyed Damon was just the icing on the cake.

After watching nature do its thing for well over thirty minutes, Damon decided to get serious about washing, but the moment he looked at Bonnie, he was distracted, once again.

Damon found it really hard to keep his eyes off of her. He hoped that sooner or later she would give into her true feelings for him. She cared for him. He knew it, so did everyone else.

Even a week later he could still vividly feel her warm core enfolded around him. He could still brilliantly see her riding him. She was so beautiful. His loins twitched as he remembered their intimate moment.

He sighed and it instantly caught Bonnie's attention. She turned around and watched him carefully. She smiled at how handsome he was, with his wrinkled brow, and serious facial expression as he aggressively washed his pants.

"You're giving those pants hell." She smiled.

"Yeah." He exhaled and continued to clean his bottoms. "They're dirty," he said impassively without sparing her a glance.

Seeing how serious Damon was, Bonnie decided to try and put a smile on his face. She scooped up a little mud and tossed it onto his clean pants.

"What the hell," Damon spat then glowered at her.

"Oops," Bonnie giggled.

"You want to play, huh." Damon waggled his eyes. He then smeared mud onto her clean tops.

"You bastard." Bonnie laughed, shocked.

Before they knew it, they were slinging mud and chasing after each other. They ran around like little kids. Bonnie screamed and laughed like a little girl, and Damon laughed heartily at her reaction. He was truly happy in this moment. He never thought that he could be this blissful with any other woman but Elena.

Their playful moment couldn't last for too long. Damon Salvatore never missed a beat at trying to make things between him and Bonnie more romantic and loving. It was so easy for this side of him to manifest when with her.

After twirling her around in his arms, he swung her gaze around to his. He gently, pecked her lips. Bonnie didn't have the strength or the resolve to stop him. She was putty in his hands as she gave into her passion.

"You're so beautiful. I love seeing you happy," Damon whispered against her lips.

"Damon," Bonnie said softly.

"Shh, don't say it." He pressed a finger against her lips. "We can only be friends. I know." He closed his eyes and sighed.

"I brought the box that Lucy sent us. Do you want me to let them know we're alive and okay? It's been a week. I know they must be worried sick about us," Bonnie inquired, her forehead still pressed against his. She reluctantly changed the conversation. She wanted to be with Damon, but she had to be strong, for Elena.

"Okay." Damon inhaled, annoyed, then released her.

A haunting thought entered his mind as Bonnie prepared her things. If Stefan and Elena got word of him being alive, they'd do whatever it took to get them back, or worse they could show up. If he thought he didn't have enough time to win Bonnie over now, he surely wouldn't have a wing and a prayer of winning her over if Elena came after them.

After Bonnie gathered her things, she sat on the ground and crossed her legs. She inscribed a note on the paper using her powers. She then placed the message in the box and sealed it. "I'm ready," Bonnie turned to Damon.

He stood behind her, frozen with thoughts of Elena returning. He pumped his fist and clicked his jaw with worry.

Damon slowly came and sat cross legged in front of Bonnie.

She closed her eyes and began to chant. He watched her carefully.

A light began to swirl around the box and grow. Just as the portal began to open under the container, another magical moment decided to reveal itself, too.

Damon's eyes widened. Another heartbeat had entered their presence. He looked around fitfully, not seeing anyone, but someone was there. He could hear their faint heartbeat. He finally keyed in on where it was coming from. It was coming from inside Bonnie.

His mouth went ajar in astonishment.

"Bonnie! Bonnie!" he shouted fearfully as he jerked on her arm.

Bonnie ceased her powers immediately. She instantly observed a frantic-looking Damon.

"What? What is it?" She asked with a fearful look in her eyes as her chest rapidly rose and fell.

_Think Damon, think,_ he yelled at himself in thought.

"Uh, uh, if we send the message, Elena and Stefan will come. They won't care if we're okay. If they show up, they'll only be in our way. Do you really want to risk their lives?" Damon explained, coolly, as he squinted his eyes at her.

He felt extremely guilty for manipulating Bonnie, but he didn't know what else to do. Well, he did, but that meant he'd have to tell the truth, and once he did that, he was sure that Bonnie would high tail it back home.

"Oh, God, you're right." Bonnie grabbed her chest. She was relieved that she had not finished the spell. She was glad that Damon had stopped her from making a horrible mistake.

Now that the forest was eerily quiet, Damon listened for the faint heartbeat, again. He was sure that what he had heard was a lie. It was impossible. She couldn't be pregnant. He couldn't procreate.

Damon rubbed his hand nervously over his mouth as he listened to Bonnie's and the baby's heartbeat. He closed his eyes. She was indeed pregnant with his child.

_Fucking verdant! Fucking Tupac!_ He blasted himself in thought.

"Damon, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost," Bonnie inquired worriedly.

"Nothing. I just feel dirty," he answered dryly.

"Let's swim." Bonnie smiled. She hurriedly took off her skirt and top. She was wearing a bra. Damon frowned up at the article of clothing. He was hoping to see her breast. His eyes quickly darted from her breast to her belly.

His eyes watered as he stared dreamy-eyed at her stomach. Bonnie ran and jumped into the water. His eyes were still fixated on her.

"Come on!" She yelled.

Her voice sounded like it was in slow motion. He felt like he was going to pass out, but he had to remain strong, or she would suspect something. He slowly stood up. He removed his clothes robotically. He left nothing on but his boxers.

He dragged his heavy body to the water and dived into the clear water. He was thankful that the creek was deeper than ten feet. He propelled his body to the surface.

He was glad that his back was to Bonnie. He didn't want her to see how worried he was. Damon hadn't felt so confused, worried, and afraid since the first day they came to the planet and he couldn't find Bonnie.

He ran his hands through his raven hair, smoothing it over his head. He was faced with a tough decision. If he told Bonnie about the baby, she'd want to run back to Mystic Falls and take care of the situation. He didn't want that, but if he didn't tell her, she would find out too late, and the choice would no longer be hers.

"What's wrong?" Bonnie asked, concerned as she wrapped her arms around his waist, turning him around to her.

"Nothing. Everything is fine. Don't worry," he answered calmly. He made his choice. He chose his child, and if Bonnie were in her right mind and not so hell bent on sparing Elena's feelings, he was sure that she would chose her child, too.

::::::

Tyler, Matt, and Caroline stopped by to see Stefan.

Tyler sulked most of the time whilst visiting because he couldn't stand seeing Caroline flirt with Stefan.

He hated what she did to him, but he still felt some kind of way about her. The fact that she helped him when he went through his change meant something to him.

In this moment, he could kind of relate to how Jeremy felt about Bonnie lying to him about her wellbeing. Though Caroline didn't lie to him, she did something equally horrible if not more terrible in retrospect.

Tyler quickly turned his gaze to the front entrance when in walked Melissa, Cassie, and Lucy with groceries. His eyes bulged and he slowly stood once he laid his eyes on Melissa. She was beautiful, sexy—the way she walked, her long light brown hair that hung down her back, and her smile. She was captivating.

Caroline turned her attention fully away from Stefan. She looked at Tyler suspiciously and where his eyes were planted.

"Hey, let me help you with those," Tyler offered and then grabbed some of the bags from Melissa's hands.

"Oh, thank you so much." Melissa smiled.

"I'm Tyler Lockwood, by the way."

"I'm Melissa Glaser. Nice to meet you."

"Likewise." They smiled at each other as they headed to the kitchen.

"Unf, looks like someone's jealous," Stefan whispered in Caroline's ear.

"I'm not jealous. Tyler and I are over. Do I seem jealous?" Caroline spun around to Stefan, her eyes like saucers.

"Yes. You seem really jealous." Stefan grinned before downing the rest of his drink.

"Ugh," Caroline grunted, then walked away.

"You're going into the kitchen to spy on them. Real mature, Caroline."

"Shut up. It's a free country."

An hour had passed and everyone was sitting around the room chatting it up. Stefan managed to evade Caroline. He was thankful that Tyler and Melissa, and to a lesser extent Matt and Cassie, had her attention.

Two weeks had gone by and Stefan still hadn't heard a word from Bonnie and Damon. He was beginning to panic. His faith was once renewed when Lucy and the other witches had performed the simple spell of contacting them, but the fact that he hadn't heard from his brother was killing him inside. He now feared the worst.

He began to wonder if Sheila had lied to Bonnie. _Surely, she didn't_, he thought. While everyone else in the living room laughed and talked, he kept his focus on the fire burning in the fireplace.

The only peaceful thing about this night was that Elena and Jeremy weren't there. He knew his luck would run out soon, but he was glad that it wasn't in this moment when he felt so angry and murderous, because Elena's behavior would surely cause him to end her.

While Stefan watched the fire place, Tyler watched him. He was always watching him. The now-human-with-a-werewolf-gene managed to hold Melissa's attention and keep a careful eye on Stefan, too.

"So, you're a witch?"

"Yes, is that a problem for you?" Melissa smiled.

"No, not at all. I find witches fascinating. They're certainly more important to nature then a blood-sucking leech."

Caroline frowned at Tyler's comment.

"Well, witches are the creators of vampires and werewolves, alike." She smiled proudly.

"When you learned you were a witch, were you afraid, or did you immediately accept your fate?" Tyler asked in the hopes that Melissa would be someone that he could share his fear of being a werewolf with.

He longed to meet someone that he had something in common with. Knowing that he was part of the supernatural world made him want to seek out a partner who was a part of that realm, too.

"When I learned what I was, I was afraid. I distanced myself from my friends and family. It wasn't until I met others like myself and joined my covenant that I learned to love what I was," she explained. "Unf, you're smiling." She looked at Tyler confused.

"I'm just happy to meet someone that I have something in common with. It makes it easier, that's all. There's nothing worse than not being able to be upfront with your significant other."

"I couldn't agree more."

"So, what kind of spells can you perform? Can you transport people to a certain destination? You know, like they do in movies and TV shows." Tyler laughed. Melissa followed.

"As a matter of fact, I can with the help of my friends."

"That's awesome."

Stefan's hand was beginning to shake. The thought of his brother being dead drove him mad. He placed his glass of liquor on top of the fireplace, then marched through the living room.

"I'll be right back," Stefan announced.

"Where are you going?" Caroline hopped up from the sofa.

Tyler looked at Stefan suspiciously.

"I'm going out for more beer. Don't worry." He offered her a fake grin then left.

"Hey, Melissa, about that teleportation spell…," Tyler smiled at her.

"Yeah, what about it?"

Two hours later, Stefan found himself in another town, searching for the perfect prey.

Unbeknownst to Stefan, he wasn't alone.

He finally lucked up on the perfect victim. He decided against an entire family or a house full of innocents. The fact that Tyler was snooping around told him that he had to be more careful, and not only that, but Lucy was onto him as well, and he didn't want her to handle him. He wasn't ready for a fiery death just yet.

Stefan left his car in the parking lot of a grocery store. He followed the man home.

As the man walked up the steps to his apartment, an eerie feeling fell over him.

"Is someone there?" The man turned around. Stefan stepped out of view.

The man fiddled with the lock on his door with a trembling hand in the dark corridor.

Stefan vamp sped behind him. "Hello," he greeted in a menacing voice.

The man slowly turned around, meeting Stefan's gaze. The man started to scream once noticing the black veins swimming across his cheeks and his red eyes.

"Shh, don't say a word. Now be a good boy and invite me in," Stefan compelled.

Out of nowhere, Tyler came charging up the steps. He tackled Stefan. They stumbled back against the rail then fell over. Stefan landed on his back and Tyler fell on top of him. Stefan threw Tyler off of him, then flashed to the woods.

Tyler took off on foot into the woods next. He knew he couldn't keep up with a vampire but he had to try. He couldn't let Stefan take another innocent life, not while he was around.

As soon as he entered the thicket, Stefan charged him and tackled him to the ground. Stefan started hammering his friend with all his supernatural strength.

"You think you can defeat me dog! You can't defeat me!" Stefan yelled in rage, his face turned beet red, his eyes blood-shot. He became unglued. He forgot who Tyler was in this moment. He wanted blood. His brother was dead. There was no getting him back. He needed to kill something now, and unfortunately, Tyler fit the bill, but Tyler wouldn't go quietly into the night.

He finally found inner strength, or better yet, Stefan had triggered his werewolf gene. Tyler's eyes flashed yellow. He tossed Stefan twenty feet into the air and up against a tree. Tyler jumped to his feet. He yelled, growled, and then howled as his body began to transform.

Stefan flashed to a standing position. He knew he should run and take cover, but seeing Tyler change was miraculous.

Tyler was now a full on wolf. He lunged for Stefan but he was kicked into a tree instead.

The wolf shook off the blow, then went at the vampire again. Stefan took a defensive stance and bared his teeth. Tyler lunged for him, once more. The wolf opened its mouth wide. He locked on to his foes arm. Stefan shook and shook. He then delivered several crushing blows to the wolf's head at vampire speed. Tyler let go after being knocked senseless. He whimpered before transforming himself back into human form.

"You bit me! You bit me!" Stefan screamed as he dropped to his knees.

"Stefan," Tyler whispered in horror, then crawled quickly over to his friend. "He grabbed Stefan by the arm, inspecting his wound. "Oh, my God." He looked into Stefan's eyes, horrified.

Stefan glowered at Tyler, and in a flash, he grabbed a branch and plunged it into Tyler's gut.

"Ahhhhh!" Tyler snatched the branch from his abdomen and clutched his wound tightly.

"I'm sorry, Stefan. I'm so sorry." He began to cry.

"You killed me, Tyler. You killed me." Stefan got up and dragged himself away from the forest, leaving Tyler alone.

::::::

After swimming in the creek, Damon and Bonnie finished washing their clothes, and Bonnie practiced her magic for a little while before they left for home.

Damon was on pins and needles the entire time as he watched Bonnie push her body to the limits. It took everything in him not to tell her about the baby. He had to trust that she would be okay until the time was right or until her body revealed his humongous secret.

Damon decided to take the long way home. He wanted to see the verdant tree. He found a newfound respect for the fruit and the planet. As they walked, Bonnie talked and talked. She was a regular little chatterbox. Damon was oddly quiet. He was afraid that if he opened his mouth, he'd tell Bonnie about the baby. Really, he was still speechless by the fact that she was pregnant.

"Damon, is something wrong? Please tell me. You haven't been the same since you stopped me from performing the spell."

"It's nothing, Bonnie."

"You're lying."

"Okay, I'm worried about you. I'm worried about you not getting stronger. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"You're worried about getting back to Elena."

"Oh, my God, this has nothing to do with Elena. I'm worried about you, Bonnie, _you_," Damon expressed passionately.

"Okay, I'm sorry."

"No, you don't need to apologize."

"Damon, I'm getting stronger, every day. Everything will be fine."

"This is me you're talking to, Bon Bon. There's no need for lies."

"I would never lie to you, and you would never lie to me. I do feel stronger."

_You would never lie to me. Why did she have to use those particular words_, Damon questioned in thought.

"Sometimes, it's okay to tell a white lie if it means that you could protect the ones you love." He grinned.

"True, but you and me, we're brutally honest with one another." She sweetly smiled.

"Yeah." Damon squinted and clicked his jaw. Bonnie's choice of words was making him uneasy.

As they walked through the forest, they were both oblivious to the fact that they were holding hands. At some point as they strolled along, their hands navigated to each other's. They shared a connection that was so deep and profound even strangers could see the connection that they shared.

"Here it is," Damon said, as he stopped in front of the verdant tree.

"What is this? Eww, that looks nasty. Is that edible?" Bonnie frowned up at the verdant.

"Yup, it's edible. Here, try some." Damon freed Bonnie's hand.

It was then that they realized that their fingers had been interlocked the entire time, and once they were detached, they both felt a void.

They looked at one another, entranced.

"You want me to try the fruit?" Bonnie asked nervously, then folded her bottom lip into her mouth as she pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Yeah." Damon grinned, then jolted the tree, causing some of the fruit to fall to the ground. He picked up a piece of the verdant, rubbed it against his shirt, rubbing off the dirt, then pushed it up to Bonnie's mouth.

"Ew, no. Get that out my face." She laughed.

"Come on. Taste it."

"I can't. I can't." She shook her head and closed her eyes.

"Here." Damon grabbed her bag and sat it on the ground beside their basket of clothes. "Now, close your eyes."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes, stop being so afraid."

Bonnie closed her eyes as instructed.

"Smell it."

She sniffed the fruit.

"How does it smell?" He asked.

"It smells nice."

"Now, take a bite."

"Eww, I feel like we're Adam and Eve." Bonnie jumped up and down in place.

Damon laughed heartily at her comment.

She finally opened her mouth and took a small bite. She slowly chewed, then smiled. "Wow, it tastes nice."

"Better than the yellow fruit?" He grinned.

"No way." Bonnie giggled.

"Are you kidding me, this is way better than the yellow fruit. I'm going to take a shit load of this fruit back home to my brother."

"Oh, yeah," she responded.

"Yes."

"How did you discover this fruit?"

"Tupac, said that it has the power to restore a person's reproductive system."

"Wow, sounds like Tupac is smoking crack."

"What if it works?" Damon asked seriously.

"Fruit can't make you have babies," Bonnie protested.

"...but what if it could? I believe it can." _It's how I got you pregnant,_ Damon whispered internally and outwardly cringed.

"Well, maybe it does. Maybe it doesn't," she said coolly and shrugged.

"What if I ate this fruit and you turned up pregnant? Would you keep the baby?" Damon looked at Bonnie, expressionless.

Bonnie immediately lost her smile.

Damon hoped with all his heart that her answer would be yes. He was dying to tell her about the bun in her oven.

Bonnie didn't answer.

Damon lifted the fruit to his mouth. He opened wide and pretended to take a bite. Bonnie slapped the fruit out of his hand.

Bonnie's reaction to him pretending to eat the fruit told him that she definitely wanted to make love to him, again, but she didn't want to have his baby. It was a bittersweet moment for him, so in true Damon fashion, he joked.

"So, what you're telling me, is that you do want to have sex with me, again." He winked.

"Ugh, whatever," Bonnie picked the fruit up off the ground and gave it to Damon. "Eat the damn fruit," Bonnie sassed.

::::::

Damon lay in bed with his forearm resting on his forehead, listening to Bonnie's and the baby's heartbeats. Tonight was his turn to stay up all night long, worrying. He was going to be a dad. The thought of being a father had never crossed his mind before.

Mainly, because he knew he couldn't have children and the fact that he hadn't met a woman that made him feel like settling down didn't reinforce his feelings on the matter either.

Being a domesticated man never appealed to Damon. Well, at least not until now. He was suddenly taken away from his thoughts when he heard Bonnie mumbling in her sleep.

She was sweating profusely and tossing and turning fitfully in bed.

"No. No. Let me go!" Bonnie screamed.

"Bonnie. Bonnie, wake up." Damon gently, shook her, waking her..

Bonnie snatched herself away from the bed and quickly grabbed her chest.

"This man was chasing me. He was trying to kill me." She panted, horrified.

"It was just a nightmare." Damon looked at Bonnie worriedly as he took her by the shoulders.

"No. No it wasn't. It seemed real. He was huge, and I was pregnant. He hurt me." Bonnie began to cry.

"No, it's not real. No one is going to hurt you. I would never let anyone hurt you," Damon said with conviction.

Bonnie quickly nodded, her heart still rapidly beating. She and Damon looked at each other yearningly. They couldn't take their eyes off of one another.

Damon took Bonnie by the face. He kissed her forehead, nose, and then placed a chaste kiss on her lips.

"Let me hold you," he whispered.

Bonnie nodded before turning her back to his front. Damon wrapped her up in his arms.

Not only did he have to worry about lying to Bonnie about their baby, now he had to worry about her vision manifesting itself, too. _Fuck me,_ his brain whispered, horrified.

A/N: XOXOXOX


	10. Oblivion Chapter 10: Latch

**A/N: **This chapter has been newly edited, replaced (as well as one and two) and some changes have been made. I hope you enjoy!

**Oblivion Chapter 10: Latch**

Damon opened his eyes to the back of Bonnie's head. A small smile formed on his face. He kissed her head and snuggled closer to her. He nestled his covered member up against her bottom as he cradled her body to his.

Damon keyed into the sound of Bonnie and his unborn baby's heartbeat. He was going to be a father. It was a miracle. Life as Damon had known it, was about to change. A year ago, he probably would have argued avidly against the whole idea of a domesticated life, but now, he was excited and intrigued by it all. He wondered what it would be like to be a father. He wondered what Stefan would be like as an uncle.

As Damon's thoughts quickly dwindled from his mind, he began to think about what Bonnie would do once she learned of her pregnancy. At the rate the baby was growing, he was sure that morning sickness and fatigue would soon be a part of her everyday life.

Damon continued to lay in bed beside her as the sunlight began to fill the room. He giggled under his breath. Normally, by this time every morning, he would be awakening to an empty bed, but not this morning.

Bonnie was sound asleep. In fact, he didn't remember a time when she had slept so soundly and serenely since they had been on the planet. He was positive that the baby growing inside of her was the reason.

Damon wanted to get up and do something nice for her, like make her breakfast in bed, ready her shower, or make her favorite tea, but he couldn't let her go.

He rubbed his cheek against hers and stroked her arms with his strong hand. Her warm body was heaven against his cool physique.

He placed his lower leg on hers and smiled. Damon completely had his way with her as she slept. If Bonnie were awake, she would shy away from his advances and push him away but Damon Salvatore would show her. He would drench her with his love and affection and there wasn't a damn thing Bonnie Bennett could do about it while sound asleep.

His affectionate caresses progressed beyond touching and cuddling as he began to sweetly kiss Bonnie on her tawny forehead, cheeks, nose, and neck. He snickered lowly at his deviousness.

The image of Bonnie turning her button nose up at him with her arms folded tightly over her chest made his heart pitter patter.

As Damon showered Bonnie with his loving ministrations, Monkey Man, George, decided to let out a loud thunderous roar outside of their window. The animal was merely flexing his wind pipes but the sound of it gave Damon a fright.

He jumped clear out the bed, startling a sleeping Bonnie in the process.

Her eyes popped open. They were like saucers.

"I'm stronger than you!" she yelled out as she tightly clutched Damon's hand, then quickly closed her eyes.

"Sh, sh, sh, go back to sleep," he whispered.

Unbeknownst to Damon, Bonnie was already back in la la land.

Damon eased his arm from beneath her head, eased himself out of the bed, and flashed to the window.

"Shut up you mangy beast!" Damon blasted, then quickly looked back to see if he had awaken Bonnie.

Monkey Man grunted and bared his teeth.

"Stop smiling at me. You've ruined everything," he hissed.

Monkey Man slung mud at him. Damon opened and closed the shutter door at vampire speed to keep from being hit by the flying muck.

Monkey Man let out a mischievous animal laugh and then ran off.

"You little shit!" Damon fussed.

"Damon! My friend! Good morning!" Tupac waved as he slowly strolled down the walkway, a huge smile on his face.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck," Damon murmured. He closed the shutters and then rushed out to meet Tupac before he reached the house.

He marched out to his friend, determined.

"What the hell, Tupac? Why are you here? It's five o'clock in the morning," he scolded as he looked down at his imaginary watch.

"Here's the five hundred shillings I promised you." Tupac handed the money to Damon and flashed him a huge, proud grin, ignoring Damon's annoyed tone.

"Thank you. Now, go away."

Damon turned Tupac around and marched him away from the house.

"Hey, I thought we could hang out without the women," Tupac said disappointingly.

"I… don't have a woman, but I'm trying to get one and you're ruining it."

"Oh, so you and Bonnie are trying to have a romantic morning. This reminds me of the time that Zinnia and I had our first date." Tupac beamed as he stopped dead in his tracks and turned around to face Damon.

Damon turned Tupac back around, stopping him in the middle of what could possibly be a long drawn out story about love and mushy stuff. He pushed him roughly down the pathway, then headed back to the house.

"Hey! You don't have to be so rude!" Tupac yelled to a fleeing Damon.

Damon flashed back home. He looked to the bed once inside. He smiled at the sight of Bonnie still sound asleep.

He walked over to the bed and sat down beside her. He placed the bag of coins on the floor and then ran his fingers down her face.

"I'm stronger than you?" _What were you dreaming about Bonnie?_ Damon thought as he remembered what she had yelled out during her unexpected outburst.

He continued to look at her with concern for a spell before deciding to prepare her a shower. He then made her breakfast which consisted of bread, honey, two lean slices of meat, and fruit along with her favorite tea that he kept warm over the fire in their tiny little oven/stove.

He loved their tiny home. It was quite quaint, but he was ready for something bigger. The Salvatore boarding house had somewhat spoiled him.

Bonnie finally awoke. Her eyes landed immediately on Damon's ass. He was standing in front of the table, counting their money. Not that he didn't trust Tupac, but he didn't think that Bonnie would take too kindly to him watching her as she slept, so he had to do something to distract his lustful gawking.

_Damn it!_ Bonnie cursed herself internally. She wanted to be up and out of the house before Damon got up. She didn't trust herself to be around him. It was hard for her to look at him and not remember how they made love and how he made her feel.

As she stared at his bare back and nicely-shaped covered rump, she pictured his face in her mind, his strong jaw line, methane blue eyes, mauve plump lips, his rosy cheeks, and milky white skin.

Bonnie now knew the sexy side of Damon, like how husky his voice was in the morning and when he expressed himself to her. She lucidly remembered his touch and the way he looked at her right before they made love. He looked at her as if he were in pain. She imagined how he must have felt in that moment.

Bonnie sat up slowly on the side of the bed, her mantra of thoughts still on him.

If it weren't for the smell of meat and fruit, which made her hungrier than she already was, she would have forced herself back to sleep so she could conjure up sweet dreams of her and Damon.

The wooden frames squeaked as Bonnie moved about the bed, alerting Damon to her being awake.

"Morning," he greeted in a low deep voice and then flashed her a smoldering glance.

_God, why does he have to look at me like that? Why is he so good looking? If he were ugly, things would be so much easier. Maybe I should sleep with him one more time. What could it hurt? No one has to know_, Bonnie thought lustfully.

"Are you okay?" Damon walked over to her and sat down on the bed beside her.

The bulge in his pants made Bonnie uneasy and wet between the legs.

"Hey, are you okay?" He squinted his eyes and flashed her a tremendously worried look as he ran his fingers down her face before cupping her cheeks with his strong hand.

Bonnie gazed desirously at him, her eyes moistened. His husky voice and pale blue eyes had hypnotized her.

"I'm okay," she answered him after three long minutes, entranced.

"Are you sure? You seem worried, and this morning, you blurted out in your sleep. You said, 'I'm stronger than you.' What was that about?"

"I did? I don't remember having a bad dream, but I'm okay." Bonnie tried to reassure him.

"If you need me, I'm here for you. You know that, right?" Damon said seriously.

Bonnie looked at him, surprised by his words. She believed him. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that Damon Salvatore wouldn't be there for her. She smiled and it made Damon smile as well.

"Thank you, Damon."

"Anytime… so, are you hungry, because I made you a light breakfast, and I filled the shower pail for you."

"Oh, wow. Thank you, and I'm starving, actually." Bonnie rubbed her tummy, then rested her hand back against the bed.

Damon looked down at her belly, knowing what was growing inside of Bonnie. His hand drifted down to her tummy. He gently rubbed her stomach as he gazed lovingly into her eyes.

Bonnie looked at him curiously for a tick and then down at his hand rubbing her belly. It wasn't until that moment Bonnie realized what he was doing.

He widened his eyes, snatched his hand away from her, and then jumped to his feet.

In a fleeting moment, he had almost forgotten that he, not her, knew that she was pregnant. He wanted badly to tell her, but he was afraid that she would kill the baby. It was his baby, too, but unfortunately, Damon didn't have a say over her body, so he did the only thing that he could do, he refused to let Bonnie know about the pregnancy.

He had to give his baby a fighting chance, but looking down at Bonnie, who was so sweet, selfless, and who would rather die herself than to hurt the people that she loved, made him feel overwhelmingly guilty. She didn't deserve to be lied to, but she also didn't deserve to give up everything just to please her friends, and he would make sure that those types of things never happened to Bonnie again.

He easily talked himself out of telling her the truth, but unfortunately, it wasn't soon enough for Bonnie to pick up on the fact that he was hiding something.

"Why do you look so guilty? What did you do while I was asleep?" Bonnie got to her feet, folded her arms tightly over her chest, and sent Damon a reprimanding look.

"What? I didn't do anything but be the best friend you could ever have, and I certainly didn't kiss and cuddle you while you were asleep. God, you are so accusatory," Damon huffed as he unknowingly spilled the beans on himself.

He shifted nervously from one foot to the other, his cheeks bright red as he waited for Bonnie's response.

"Whatever, Damon." Bonnie shook her head at him as she strolled over to the table to take a peek at the food. "This looks really delicious."

Damon raised a brow curiously. He was fully prepared for Bonnie to tear into him, but she completely shrugged his heated rebuttal off as if he hadn't said a word.

Bonnie left the table and went into the bathroom to freshen up. Damon was still dumbfounded as he watched the bathroom entry. He finally grew tired with watching the closed door. He cleared the coins from the table, sat the bag in front of him, and continued to wait.

"Hmm, you're waiting for me. This is nice, I think," Bonnie said and then offered him a smile as she sat down at the table across from him.

Damon grinned devilishly as he crossed his hands over the table.

Bonnie hurriedly stuffed her mouth with the bread and honey, completely forgetting that Damon was there gawking at her.

_She's so adorable. Hmmm, she's having my baby. I can't believe she had sex with me. What was she thinking? _Damon thought as he rested his chin on his hand.

"What's in the bag?" Bonnie asked with her mouth full.

"Tupac dropped the money off that he promised us."

"Oh, why didn't he stay to visit?"

"Beats me. I asked him to stay and have breakfast with us, but he was in a rush to get back to Zinnia. You know him," Damon lied, then snickered under his breath.

"What are you doing, today?" Bonnie asked.

"Well, I thought maybe we could find out about building us a bigger house, or see if they have one for sale. What do you think?"

"Sounds nice," she answered, then smiled sweetly at him.

The room soon felt silent as Damon watched Bonnie greedily eat her food. They glanced at each other every so often as Bonnie continued to eat her breakfast. They flashed each other goofy grins and ogled, snickered, and flirted with each other like new lovers.

Bonnie finally realized what she was doing. She hurried from the table and poured herself some tea. She looked out the window, seeing a horse-like creature feeding dozens of yards away in a fenced in area. She sneakily and quickly looked back at Damon over her shoulder. She swiftly turned away when she noticed him still gawking at her.

Knowing that he wasn't going to let up with the flirting, and tempting her, she decided to take her sweet time going back to the table.

As Bonnie stood at the window, looking at the animal, she imagined what it would be like to ride one of the creatures. A huge grin spread across her face as she pictured Damon being the one to show her how to ride the magnificent and marvelous animal.

She imagined how sweet and touchy feely he would be with her. She fantasized about them riding through the tall, luscious green grass that smelt so heavenly on this planet. She envisioned him sitting behind her and guiding her to places unknown.

She was supposed to be doing everything in her power to stay away from Damon, but here she was, scheming up romantic adventures and rendezvous with him.

Damon watched Bonnie anxiously as she stood at the window grinning and daydreaming with her back to him. He couldn't take it anymore. He had to know what Bonnie was thinking and how she felt.

He scooted his chair away from the table. It screeched and squeaked loudly as he moved it over the floor. Damon winced at the horrible sound. He had forgotten his own strength.

Oddly, the noise didn't take Bonnie away from her fantasies.

Damon walked over to her. He rested his hand on Bonnie's waist, invading her personal space as he looked innocently down at her.

His touch made Bonnie tingle. She slowly turned her gaze to his, a yearning look in her eyes.

"You okay?" Damon gently nudged her.

"I want to ride one of those horse creatures," Bonnie said as she looked back towards the animal.

Damon looked out the window, too. He chuckled once seeing the huge beast.

"No! No, you cannot ride one of those in your delicate—," Damon stopped mid-sentence, then took a hard swallow.

"In my delicate what? O M G, are you saying because I'm a woman I can't ride that beautiful animal?" She frowned up at him.

"Not because you're a woman. You're so tiny. Those things are huge."

"I don't care. I want to ride one. They look fun."

"They're amazing!" Damon gloated and then caught himself. He looked at an angry Bonnie guiltily. "Ah shit," he murmured.

"Please teach me how to ride one, Damon," she pleaded, her face innocent and hopeful.

"Alright, I will show you," his eyes widened.

Bonnie clapped her hands, hopped up and down in place, and smiled big. Damon couldn't help but return the smile at seeing her so happy. Here they were, best friends, living a married life against Bonnie's wishes but to Damon's every pleasure.

::::::

Tyler was teleported back to the boarding house after calling Melissa. He was transported to her bedroom undetected.

"Oh, my God!" Melissa shouted as she spotted a naked and bloody Tyler on the floor. "What the hell happened?" She grabbed a throw from off the bed and quickly covered him before grabbing her t-shirt to doctor his wound.

"Stefan and I got into a fight. I bit him, and then he stabbed me."

"No! Why did you bit him?" She asked, forgetting she already knew the answer.

"I didn't mean to. It was an accident. It was pure instinct and adrenaline," Tyler explained as he held tightly to Melissa's hand to apply pressure to his gaping bloody wound.

They stared worriedly into each other's eyes, both at a loss for words.

"Can you save him, Melissa?"

"I can't, Tyler. There's no spell that I know of that can heal a vampire of a werewolf bite."

"I didn't mean to kill my friend, but I couldn't stand by and watch him kill another innocent person," Tyler declared as tears rolled down his cheeks.

"It'll be okay, Tyler. Maybe Lucy knows a spell, or someone who can help us."

"There's someone who can help, but he hates me. He would rather see me and everyone I loved dead."

"Melissa, where's—," Lucy halted herself once seeing Tyler all sprawled out on the floor, bloody, bruised, and naked.

"What the hell happened?"

"Tyler did find Stefan. He was going to kill someone and Tyler bit him."

"No. This can't be happening. Where's Stefan?"

"He took off. I don't know where he went," Tyler announced gravely.

:::::

Stefan finally made it back to Mystic Falls. He found himself sitting outside of Caroline's home.

He sat behind the wheel in deep thought. He was going to die, and the thought of it made Stefan's life flash before his very eyes. His brother was gone, and the love of his life had left him. Suddenly dying felt befitting to him. All at once he felt like there was nothing more to live for.

Sure, Klaus's blood would heal him, but Klaus wouldn't give him his blood for free, and he certainly wasn't going to be Klaus's puppet. He didn't want to be saved only to live a life of servitude.

He now knew part of the reason why he was sitting outside of Caroline's home. A part of him wanted to be saved and the other part of him wanted to die.

As he sat in the car thinking about life, death, Klaus, and Caroline, he began to think about _her_—Elena, and the girl she used to be.

A part of him thought about telling her that he was dying. He was pretty sure that she would be devastated by the news.

As the plethora of thoughts about Elena swam around in his head, he subconsciously started his car.

Thirty minutes later, Stefan found himself in front of Elena's house. He looked at the front door for half an hour before deciding to go inside.

It was three o'clock in the morning, but Stefan didn't care. He had been bitten by a werewolf. This was a life and death situation.

Elena's eyes popped opened. She looked at the clock. Something had to be terribly wrong if someone was standing outside her door at this ungodly hour.

She rushed to Jeremy's room and then to Alaric's. They were both sound asleep, which gave her some relief.

She ran downstairs, then looked nervously through the peephole. She perked up once she saw that it was Stefan.

"Stefan, hey. What… what's wrong? What's going on? Why are you here so early in the morning?" Elena's disposition instantly changed once she opened the door and looked at a somber looking Stefan.

"Can we talk?"

"Sure. Come in."

"No, let's talk on the porch," he suggested in a monotone voice.

Elena nodded and then stepped barefoot out onto the cool wood flooring of the porch in her PJ's.

Stefan sat down on the steps, legs spread apart, and elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped together. He looked blankly out at the street.

Elena sat down beside him, her legs huddled together. She folded her arms in her lap and clapped her hands over her elbows, and looked at Stefan.

"Stefan, what's wrong?"

Stefan sat motionlessly, not answering her. A tear fell from his eye. It had been over a month since he had shown any real emotions, but right here and now, with the knowledge that he could die and that his brother would return and he wouldn't be there for Damon, knocked the wind out of him.

He didn't care about dying, but he did care about his brother coming back only to find that he was dead. He couldn't hurt Damon, not his brother. Not the one person that he loved the most.

Stefan didn't know what to say. He found himself at a loss for words. He couldn't figure out why he came to Elena of all people. Perhaps it was the memories of her always bringing him back in when he wanted to give up on life.

His love for her was what had saved him so many times before, and a small part of him was hoping that she could save him, now. It didn't matter that over time his great love for Elena was now but a mere flicker and not that great fire that once burned in his heart for her, but nevertheless, even with his humanity off, he still remembered it and how good it felt to have her love.

He looked at Elena, praying that he would find the words, hoping that her words would give him that sliver of hope he needed.

Caroline surely could have given him the same thing, but tonight, he wanted those words to come from Elena Gilbert.

"I can't do this anymore, Elena," he cried through the words, saying what his heart really felt in this moment.

Stefan's words caused something to awaken inside of Elena.

Her eyes moistened as her mind went back into time when he said those same exact words to her.

"Fine, Stefan, whatever," she whispered.

Stefan's eyes widened. He was confused by her response at first and then it finally hit him.

"Why… why did you say that?"

"I don't know. It just seemed right."

Stefan smiled. He then closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Tyler bit me."

"No, please don't tell me that," she cracked. Her lips began to quiver. She pushed her face into her hands and started to cry.

"Don't cry," Stefan said, but he really didn't mean what he had said. A part of him hoped that she would care enough about his life to shed a few tears. He hoped that she would care enough about him to put her obsession for his brother aside long enough to care about him and his pain.

"I can't help it. When you died, I couldn't cry. I don't know why. I felt like, since I still had Damon, I could make it, but now, he's gone, and I feel so lost. I don't feel incomplete, which is strange since he was the love of my life, but I feel like I can't function. I don't understand, but I do know that I don't want you to die. I want you to live, Stefan. You have to live."

"Why, because if you can't have one brother you'll take the other?" Stefan became angry.

"No, no, Stefan," Elena answered sternly and then shook her head vehemently. For the first time, she wasn't whining, begging, or acting like a self-absorbed ratchet bitch. It was refreshing for Stefan to see this side of her, again.

"You think I'm a monster. Is that how you see me, Stefan?" she asked in a wounded tone.

"Why do you care if I live or die?" Stefan asked with a hint of disdain in his voice.

"Because, you need Damon and he needs you. When he comes home, you need to be here."

Elena's words floored Stefan. For once, she didn't make things about herself.

"I don't think you're a monster, Elena, but you're certainly not the girl that I met and fell in love with. I miss her."

"…and this isn't you Stefan."

"I know, but maybe Tyler biting me was for the best, because without Damon… I have nothing," he explained, sorrowfully as he looked blankly out at the yard.

"You have me," Elena said and then smiled at him.

He turned slowly around to her, a passive look on his face.

"You can't die, Stefan. I won't let you." She quickly got to her feet.

"Where are you going?" Stefan slowly got to his feet, watching her curiously.

"To Caroline's. Klaus won't turn her down, especially if he thinks it's her that needs his blood."

"Right," Stefan responded and then rushed Elena a crooked smile.

"I miss that," Elena said.

"What?"

"Your smile."

Stefan lost his happy look and then turned his gaze back to the car. He was afraid. Another emotion he hadn't felt in a while.

"Come on, I'll take you to Caroline's," he said, ignoring her flattery, and walked swiftly to his car.

Elena looked worriedly at him as he climbed inside of his Porsche. As she watched him move about inside of the car, she felt a weird sensation in the pit of her stomach. It was guilt mixed with regret. For the first time in a long time, Elena felt guilty for having left Stefan; an emotion made possible by the absence of Damon Salvatore from her life.

:::::

There really wasn't a whole lot that people could do on New Earth, but the natural beauty of the planet was like no other. Damon could look out at the sky and at the trees all day. He had finally become comfortable with his surroundings. He didn't feel like he had to look over his shoulder all the time like he did when they first arrived.

He sat out in the town square watching Bonnie as she spoke with some of the town's women.

For the first time since being on this parallel earth, he observed the people. They were all taller and larger than him. He wondered how in the hell he was able to take out three of Tupac's men. They were huge.

His mind switched from the people to his encounter with Tupac earlier that morning. In the back of his mind, he felt a little guilty for forcing Tupac to leave so abruptly. He only felt guilty because he now needed him; otherwise, he wouldn't have cared one bit about making his friend leave so he could cuddle with Bonnie.

He'd push God himself away if it meant he could get more time alone with her.

"I'm ready," Bonnie chimed.

"What, you're finished gossiping?" Damon wiggled his eyes at her.

"I was _not_ gossiping," Bonnie shouted excitedly and then laughed.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Damon sent her a smirk. "Come on, let's go to the town hall and talk to Tupac."

Damon wrapped an arm around Bonnie's shoulder. She looked nervously at him but decided not to fight his affections. She wrapped an arm around his waist and allowed him to lead her to the town hall. He took the basket of flowers from her before they strolled up the pathway to see their friend.

Bonnie walked perfectly in stride with Damon, not a care in the world. She didn't even make a fuss as his fingers lovingly caressed her naked shoulder as they strolled along the town's square.

They finally made it to the town hall. Damon peeped inside first to make sure the environment was peaceful before leading Bonnie inside.

"Tupac, my man," Damon greeted happily.

"What do you want?" Tupac pouted.

"Oh, now."

"How are you doing, Tupac?" Bonnie inquired with an adorable smile pasted to her face.

"Your boyfriend-,"

"Are there any houses for sale, or can you tell us how to go about building us a bigger home?" Damon cut Tupac off. He didn't want Bonnie to know about him forcing Tupac away from their house earlier.

Oddly, the news of Bonnie and Damon wanting to buy a bigger home intrigued Tupac. He quickly changed his demeanor.

"You want a bigger home? Well, we did build three new homes on the east side of the town. They're not furnished. You will have to pay for it."

"How much? Money's no object," Damon announced proudly.

"For you… a thousand schillings," Tupac gave Damon an evil grin.

"A thousand schillings!" Bonnie spat, stunned.

"I sense this is about this morning," Damon said coolly as he narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Tupac.

"No, I'm just kidding. You two can have the home for free, but you will have to buy and make your own furniture," Tupac alerted.

"Umph, why the change of heart?" Bonnie asked with a raised brow.

"I need you to make day-walking bracelets for all of my friends here. They're ready to get back to their everyday lives. They've been here a couple of days now, without incident. We've even let them go several hours without feeding, tempting them with human blood, and no one failed."

"Ok, that's good. I can do it," she assured. "How many rings will I need to make?"

"I need a hundred and six of them, but there's one problem. We don't have that many precious stones in our possession. Most of the jewelry sold is made out of wire, twigs, and shiny rocks. The piece you are wearing was one of the pieces we took from our dead enemies."

"Oh," Bonnie frowned and then took hold of the gem hanging from her necklace and scrutinized over it.

"Sorry, Bon Bon," Damon said regretfully.

"No, don't be. You didn't know. I still love it." She was still delighted with her gift.

Damon took her by the waist, pulled her into him, and then nudged her nose with his. He pulled slowly away from her, still holding her gaze.

Once again, Bonnie was nervous, but she quickly shook it off. She didn't want to ruin her amazing morning being fixated on something as small as Damon stealing innocent touches and caresses. She actually quite enjoyed his touches, once she thought long and hard about their exchanges.

"You two ready to go?" Tupac asked.

Bonnie and Damon nodded.

"Tao, keep an eye on things. I'll be back shortly. Let's go." Tupac gestured to the exit.

He watched the unsuspecting duo with a smile on his face. Damon and Bonnie looked like a married couple as they walked out the door. Tupac watched Damon trail his fingers down Bonnie's lower arm and link his fingers with hers. They smiled at each other and to Tupac's surprise, Bonnie reached up and kissed Damon on the lips.

Bonnie was completely enamored and everyone else could see it but her.

"How adorable." Tupac smirked.

::::::

They ran into Zinnia on the way to see the new house. Bonnie and Damon walked in to what was a much larger place than where they currently lived but it was still quaint.

Instead of having two small rooms, it had a kitchen joined sitting area, 2 bedrooms, and a large bathroom. The new bathroom had a bathtub along with the shower. The kitchen was separated by a large, archway entry with tiny cabinets on both sides of the large porcelain sink, and it had a tiny oven/stove that sat across from the cupboard.

Outside off the kitchen was the sitting area, which was larger than the one in their present-day home.

In this house, their bedrooms actually had doors. There were plenty of windows of all sizes, and unlike their present home, this house had an aqueduct system which helped to drop the temperature in the home tremendously, according to Tupac.

Hearing that the house had its own cooling system made Damon see red. After all he and Bonnie had done for the people of Gardenia, he couldn't understand why Tupac and his friends didn't put them in the better house to begin with.

He quickly got over his anger when he thought about the money that Tupac had given them. The fact that he was now giving them the house that they truly deserved, free of charge, eased his mind somewhat. It also helped that Bonnie was there, standing by his side, beaming with glee.

Her being there made things like the house being withheld from them a small matter and not worth the stress or the heartache at all.

"So, how do you like the house?" Zinnia asked.

"I love it!" Bonnie said excitedly.

"Do you want it?" Tupac asked.

"Of course, we want it. What kind of dumb ass question is that?" Damon spat.

Tupac ignored Damon's snide remark. He was used to him being occasionally rude.

"Damon," Bonnie warned. "When can we move in?"

"Anytime you want," Zinnia said happily.

"Oh, Zinnia. The horses; can anyone ride them or do we need permission?" Bonnie asked.

"They belong to all of the people. You don't need permission."

"Really? Wow. Well, Damon, I guess we're going riding."

"Yup," Damon rolled his eyes.

"Bonnie do you think you should be riding a horse in your delicate condition?"

Zinnia's comment came right out of a horror movie. Damon froze up on the spot. He was suddenly at a loss for words. _Get it together Damon_, he thought.

"In my delicate condition? Wow. You too, Zinnia?" Bonnie frowned.

"It's getting late. Bonnie we better get our things if we want to stay here tonight?"

"Bonnie, I wasn't trying to be mean, but you can do what you want, but maybe when you're further along."

Tupac couldn't help but see how anxious and worried Damon looked. He felt compelled to intervene.

"I think what she means, Bonnie, is that you are really small and they're such large animals."

"No-,"

"Zinnia, may I have a word with you outside," Tupac interrupted his wife.

"Bonnie, I'm going to take a look around the house. Wait here." Damon rushed out behind Zinnia and Tupac.

Bonnie was too upset about Zinnia's comment to even think about their suspicious behavior.

"Bonnie's pregnant," Zinnia blurted out once seeing Damon.

"She is, but I haven't told her."

"Damon, you have to tell her."

"I can't."

"Why?" Zinnia asked heatedly.

"If I tell her, she'll get rid of my kid," he announced, enraged.

"You don't know that!"

"I do, because I know Bonnie!" Damon said in a raised voice. "So… if you two will be so kind as to stay out of my business, I would surely appreciate it."

"But-,"

"Zinnia, this is Damon's decision. He knows Bonnie better than the both of us. I'm sure everything will be fine."

"Ugh," Zinnia pouted and then marched away.

"You better go after her," Damon said.

"Can you two find your way back?" Tupac asked.

"Yeah, we'll be fine. Please tell Zinnia I'm sorry."

"I will, and don't worry about her. Zinnia is a very forgiving and understanding person. We'll talk later."

Damon watched Tupac walk away, a guilty look in his eyes. He knew he should tell Bonnie, but he couldn't. His fear wouldn't let him.

"Damon," Bonnie called.

"Yeah."

"Where's Zinnia and Tupac?"

"They had to go," Damon answered and then turned around to face Bonnie, wearing a large grin, his demeanor like night and day from mere seconds ago.

"So, you love the house?" she chimed.

"Hell yeah, and even more so that I know you'll be staying with me, still sleeping in the bed with me," Damon grabbed Bonnie by the waist and pulled her into him. He tried kissing her on the lips, but she turned away.

"We can't, Damon."

"I know. You don't have to keep telling me," he answered nastily.

He freed Bonnie and then walked away.

"Damon."

"What, Bonnie?" he angrily turned around.

"I'm sorry."

"...but not sorry enough to stop sleeping half naked in the same bed with me."

"Ouch." Bonnie looked at him, stunned.

The minute the words left Damon's mouth, he regretted them. He didn't care if Bonnie put out. He honestly enjoyed having her lay beside him at night. It made him feel whole, comfortable, and loved, but what he did want from Bonnie, was for her to give into the love she felt for him. He wanted her to be his woman.

"I'm sorry, Bonnie."

"Don't be. You're right. Well, we have two rooms. I can sleep in the other room."

"You don't have to," Damon answered pleadingly.

"I know it's not fair that I sleep in my skimpy night gowns. It's not fair to you, but I feel safe when you're beside me. It's just you and me, Damon," Bonnie explained somberly, then began to cry.

"No. No, don't cry. I'm sorry, Bon Bon," Damon stated sweetly after zooming over to her. He took her into his arms and squeezed her snuggly.

"I want to keep sleeping with you."

"I want to keep sleeping with you, too," Bonnie cried through the words, and seconds later they laughed at their pathetic display of emotions.

:::::

Stefan parked the car in front of Caroline's house. He flashed around to Elena's side and opened the door for her.

Elena looked nervously at a serious Stefan as she climbed out of the car.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," Stefan answered politely.

They stared at each other for a moment. Stefan was the first to break their trance. He held his hand out, gesturing towards the entrance. Elena took a look at his hand and then walked quickly to the door. Stefan trailed hastily behind her.

Caroline and Sheriff Forbes heard the doorbell ringing. One ring after another it echoed.

"What the hell?" Elizabeth asked in a groggy voice.

"I got it, Mom!" Caroline yelled as she ran down the hall.

"No! It's too early in the morning. Let me!" Liz yelled as she jumped out of bed.

They rushed to the door. Caroline looked out the window. She frowned once she saw both Elena and Stefan. She didn't mind that Stefan was there, but seeing him with Elena annoyed her immensely.

"Well, who is it?" her mother asked.

"It's Stefan and Elena. I got it."

"Are you sure?" Liz raised her brow curiously at her daughter.

"Yes, Mom! I will tell you if something is wrong. I promise," Caroline reassured her mother and then smiled.

"Okay, I love you," Liz replied and then hurried off to bed.

Caroline waited until her mother was out of view. She slipped on her sweater to cover herself and then stepped out onto the porch.

"Hey, what's up?" she looked at Stefan, then at Elena, and then back at Stefan.

"Tyler bit Stefan," Elena rushed out in her raspy voice and then pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

Caroline slapped her hands over her mouth and became misty-eyed. "No," she whimpered, throwing her arms around Stefan's neck, and tightly squeezing him to her.

Stefan wrapped his arms around her, closed his eyes, and squeezed her tightly to him as he gently rubbed her back.

"It's okay, Caroline. Everything will be okay," he whispered into the wind, his eyes still closed.

Elena looked at their loving exchange painfully. It actually bothered her to see Stefan be so close to Caroline.

Her mind instantly went back to the night when Stefan said that he wanted nothing else to do with her or Damon and that he trusted Caroline and not her.

That awful feeling that was in her gut before she left home earlier was back.

"It's not okay, Stefan. You can't survive a werewolf bite."

Stefan pulled away from Caroline and took her face into his hands. He smiled at her as he wiped the tears away from her rosy cheeks.

"There is a way. Don't you remember?"

"Klaus," she whispered.

"We were thinking you could tell Klaus that you've been bitten instead. We know how Klaus feels about you," Elena interjected, hoping to break up Stefan's and Caroline's little intimate moment.

"Oh, God, you're right, but what if Klaus comes here instead of sending us his blood? I don't know if I'm ready to be around him." Caroline became anxious.

"Make him remember his promise. Hold him at his word. I mean, you don't feel anything for him, right?" Stefan inquired.

Caroline looked guiltily at Stefan. She then looked at Elena who inhaled and then nervously looked away.

Caroline couldn't see Klaus again. Sleeping with him had ruined her and Tyler, and for the life of her she couldn't get over her tryst in the woods with him.

That moment came and went almost every day of her life since it happened and she hated it. She hated it because she in fact came to care for Klaus. The things that he had done for her had warmed her heart, and sleeping with him didn't make those already budding feelings any easier.

"He won't come here, Caroline. He vowed that he would never come back. He would never risk breaking that promise he made to you," Stefan reassured.

"Caroline, it'll be okay. You just have to get over your fears. This is a life and death situation," Elena reiterated.

"Okay, I'll do it." Caroline shook her head and then looked at Stefan.

"It'll be okay. I'll be here with you," he took her hands, rubbed the back of them with his thumbs, and smiled at her.

Caroline narrowed her eyes curiously at him. He was acting like the old Stefan, again, and he was giving her his attention, not Elena.

Elena became extremely saddened by their exchange. She exhaled and then walked to the other side of the porch. She looked off into the distance, but the scenery ahead couldn't hold her attention.

Stefan wrapped his arms back around Caroline, his eyes closed. An uneasy feeling came over him. Someone was staring at him. He could feel her eyes on him. His eyelids slowly opened, to see whisky, lonely, heartbroken eyes staring at him.

:::::

Bonnie and Damon took what little they had from their old house to their new home.

Before completely vacating the premises, Damon bought a table for the old house to replace the one that he had broken.

He was a reformed serial killer with proper etiquette after all.

They spent the next few days at market, buying things to fix up their new place. They were fortunate enough to find all the furniture that they needed there to furnish their new place.

Bonnie bought beautiful chandelier candle holders, curtains, and wall ornaments for Damon to hang around the house. They decorated their home with bright, brilliant colors that gave it a bohemian vibe.

Their living area had one cozy bean bag chair and a small photon style love seat, and they placed a small table on the side of it and a much larger table in front of it for a place to sit their candles and other things.

Their bedroom was long but not very wide, but Damon opted for the much larger bed anyway. It was a real pain to get it in the house, and he fought Bonnie helping him every step of the way. He wouldn't let her lift, carry, or help him move anything.

His adamant behavior did not sit well with Bonnie.

"Where are you going?" Damon spat.

"Away from you," Bonnie said heatedly.

"Oh, man. Are you mad? I'm looking out for you. I'm trying to be a gentleman," he groveled as he flashed out of the room after her.

"I know you're trying to be polite and a gentleman, but I'm not a helpless kitten, Damon, and I'm tired of you treating me like one. _Don't carry that. Don't touch this. You can't ride that. You can't do this_," she mimicked. "Just stop it."

Damon exhaled exhaustingly as he placed his hands on his hips. Keeping the secret that Bonnie was pregnant was harder than he thought. Here he was acting like the overprotective father to be but he was coming off like a madman in Bonnie's eyes.

"Okay, I'm sorry. I guess I'm taking things a little too far. Will you forgive me?" he wiggled his eyes at her.

Bonnie looked at him for a tick, unsure.

"Okay, I will, but ease up a little."

"Okay, I will. I promise," Damon said as he crossed his heart and then winked at her.

"You are so full of it."

"Yeah, now come on. Help me make up the bed."

"Ugh, now you want some help."

Bonnie hurried to the bedroom. She squeezed on the opposite side of the bed and waited for Damon to cover it with the sheet so she could straighten it. He threw the cover over the mattress and Bonnie hurried underneath the sheet, laughing like a little girl.

"Oh, my God, where did Bon Bon go," Damon teased and Bonnie laughed.

Damon fully made up the bed with Bonnie underneath the covers. She laughed until it hurt.

"Well, since Bonnie's not home, I'll guess I'll go for a ride on my pony."

"No! No! Don't you dare leave me!" Bonnie yelled excitedly, then laughed.

Damon ran out of the house, leaving Bonnie beneath the covers. She finally broke free, her hair all over her head. She looked around the house wide-eyed, not seeing Damon."

"You bastard!" Bonnie shouted before taking off out of the house after him. "Damon!"

Damon took one look at Bonnie and laughed. He took off towards the stables. Bonnie showed up a few minutes after.

"What took you so long?" He taunted and then snickered.

"I was not going to run after you."

Damon laughed at her response.

They walked around to the horses. Bonnie had been near one of these animals a few times before, but this time she was really seeing the creature.

Damon saddled the animals and then helped Bonnie up onto one. He then climbed on top of the other.

"Oh, my God, this thing is huge," Bonnie said regretfully.

"Have you changed your mind? Good," Damon waggled his brow.

"No, I am going to conquer my fears."

"Great," Damon rolled his eyes at her response.

He then grabbed her animal's reins and led her animal out of the stable behind him.

"This animal looks so freaky. Its hair is so prickly."

Bonnie went on and on about how scary the animal looked. How tall it was, and how it felt. Damon laughed all the while, taking in all her negative comments and detailed observations.

"Will you be quiet and enjoy the ride. Look around you. Feel the breeze; smell the flowers," Damon stated enthusiastically.

"Are you Damon Salvatore, or are you a clone?"

"I'm the one and only, baby."

"Please."

Damon laughed at Bonnie's comment.

"This really is a beautiful world. The sun shines so differently here," Bonnie observed.

"It does. I don't know if I even want to go back home sometimes. Well, I do. I want to go back for my brother, but that's it."

"You miss, Stefan?"

"I miss him so much. Which is kind of hard to believe, considering the way I've treated him over the years."

"All siblings have their issues."

"Yeah, but I've been a dick to my brother, Bonnie. He didn't deserve to be treated that way. All of these years, I've been angry with him because he talked me into being a vampire. I never do anything I don't want to do. I can't blame anyone for my decision," Damon paused and thought about the past for a moment.

Bonnie watched him carefully as he looked out at the scenery ahead of him with a vacant look in his eyes.

"I left my brother when he needed me the most, and he didn't want revenge against me for leaving him. Everything bad that has happened in my life, all of my heartaches have been of my own making."

"This horse riding thing is really good therapy for you," Bonnie smiled sweetly.

Damon looked at her with a crooked smile. "No, it's _you_ that's my therapy."

"Aww, you always know what to say to the ladies," Bonnie stated with a wink.

Damon burst into a fit of laughter, watching him for a moment. She couldn't help but think about how beautiful Damon looked when he laughed.

They trotted along for a few more hours before heading back home. Bonnie proved to be far more of a daredevil than Damon had imagined.

"Come on, it's getting dark. I'll race you back."

"No, Bonnie. I don't think that's a good idea."

"Damon, you said you would ease up."

Damon thought for a moment. If Bonnie knew what he knew, she would understand why he was being such an overprotective dick.

"What, you're chicken?"

"No, I'm not a chicken. You know that. You just don't understand these animals the way I do."

"You ride one of these once and suddenly you're an expert." Bonnie rolled her eyes.

"I'm an expert at everything. I'm Damon Salvatore."

"Last one to the village is a rotten egg!" Bonnie shouted and then took off.

"Bonnie! Bonnie! Don't you dare! God damn it!" Damon fussed as he tried to get his horse to budge and it wouldn't. The animal kept circling, angering its rider enormously.

"Damn it, horse! Yah! Yah!" Damon kicked the animal with his heels, sending it flying after Bonnie.

In no time flat, he caught up with her. They were now riding neck and neck. He looked at her rear end hop up and down on the animal and it instantly reminded him of something else she rode with just as much vigor, him.

Bonnie turned her gaze to his. She was incredible sexy. Time seemed to stop as she bit her lips and smiled seductively at him. He was so enamored with her that he couldn't even think of a clever comeback or one seductive Damon Salvatore move. He looked at her, simultaneously amazed and deeply thoughtful.

He wondered how the hell he missed this wonderful lady riding on the side of him for two whole years.

He was abruptly taken away from his thoughts once he remembered his surroundings. The forest ahead of them was a little thicker and he wanted Bonnie to slow down and now.

"Slow down, Bonnie!"

"What?! I can't hear you over me kicking your ass!" she yelled back and went faster.

"Damn it, Bonnie!" He yelled. "She is so hard-headed," he murmured.

The gates of Gardenia were up ahead. Bonnie slowed her animal down and then came to a complete stop. She waited for an angry Damon. Several moments later, he was there, and he was not a happy camper.

"What the hell, Bonnie?"

"I won!" she chimed.

Damon couldn't help but laugh.

:::::

Caroline called Klaus just as promised. He was extremely upset about what supposedly had happened to her.

She pleaded with him not to come and she continued to remind him of his promise not to return to Mystic Falls if she gave him one kiss. She held up her end of the bargain. She gave him that one kiss and then she slept with him on top of that, which was not part of the deal, and that one kiss was contingent upon her not having feelings for him which she lied about that, too.

She did indeed have feelings for him even though she had been very adamant about not having them whatsoever.

Caroline sat at the kitchen table, drinking her coffee. She sat patiently, waiting for Elena. Her friend was seriously late and she was pissed about it. She hoped to God that she wasn't anywhere having sex with Stefan. She hurriedly pushed the thought away from her mind when she heard the doorbell ring.

"Ugh! Oh, my, God, Elena. Are you serious? You were supposed to be here an hour ago!" Caroline yelled as she walked briskly to the door.

She snatched the door open to none other than Klaus Mikaelson.

"Klaus," she whispered in horror.

"Hello, love. May I come in?"

Caroline stepped out on the porch. "I can't let you inside. I'm sorry."

"I understand. This is your mother's home after all," he said, flashing her a coy smile.

"You could have Fed Ex'd a tube of your blood to me. There was no need for you to come," Caroline said politely, trying to hide her disdain.

"You've been bitten by a werewolf and you expect me to sit idly by and pretend you're not in excruciating pain."

"I have friends. They've been taking care of me."

"….and yet, your friends are not here."

"Everyone needs a break."

"May I see your wound?"

"It's on my ass," Caroline smarted off with a fake smile.

"Umph, how convenient." He paused. "I know you, Caroline. You're not a good liar, so why don't we stop pretending, stop with all the niceties. Can you be straight forth with me?"

Caroline looked at Klaus. She couldn't lie to him, and this was a problem. Stefan trusted her, and she trusted Klaus to do right by her. She was so confident with his love for her.

"Stefan, your friend, my friend, needs your blood."

Klaus instantly lost his smile. He felt betrayed. All Caroline had to do was call him and tell him what she needed. She didn't need to lie to him. He thought that they were way passed games and lying to each other.

"You lied to me."

"I didn't have a choice. Stefan is my friend. He needs my help, and I didn't trust you to do the right thing by him."

Caroline made her second mistake.

"You don't trust me. You lie to me. I'm beginning to think that we aren't friends, Caroline."

"Just give me your blood, Klaus."

"No."

"No? No? Really, Klaus?"

"Just because you spread your legs for me, love, it doesn't mean I will be your fucking puppet. Have a good day," Klaus replied nastily before walking away.

"Klaus! Klaus! _Klaus!_" Caroline screamed at the top of her lungs but he ignored her. He jumped in his vehicle and drove away.

"No," Caroline whispered in horror and then dropped to her knees.

::::::

Three weeks had gone by, and Damon and Bonnie had worked tirelessly decorating their home and working. Damon worked his job as captain of the guard, and sometimes he had watch detail, and Bonnie worked at the bakery.

It was now the weekend and they found themselves sitting around, enjoying the coolness of their new home and its beautiful, cozy surroundings.

Damon worked on making Bonnie a new basket for her clothes and other items, and Bonnie read some literature given to her by Zinnia, and later that night they would attend the town's bonfire. Tupac and his people believed in partying and relaxing at the end of each work week.

Whilst Damon worked on Bonnie's basket, he kept glancing over at her. He could hardly perform the task at hand because he was so enthralled by Bonnie and her beauty. His eyes wandered over her slender toes, toned legs, her tiny baby bump, her voluptuous boobs, luscious lips, and tawny heart-shaped face.

His eyes wandered back down to her baby bump. He swallowed nervously. Sooner or later Bonnie was going to realize that she was pregnant. He was so thankful that Zinnia and Tupac had agreed to keep his secret.

In addition to Bonnie's tummy growing, her hair was also, and she slept a lot when they were at home. He was actually surprised that she was awake, now.

He and Bonnie had been so busy working on their home, their jobs, and helping Tupac with the city that she didn't have time to think about all the changes going on with herself, he suspected.

Bonnie broke away from her reading. She caught Damon staring at her.

"What are you looking at?" she flirted.

"I'm looking at this gorgeous girl named Bonnie Bennett. She's totally hot and amazing."

Bonnie was tickled pink and turned bashful at his words. She pushed her book to her face and folded herself into a ball on top of their little sofa.

"Oh, wow, do _not_ tell me you're shy?" Damon dropped everything in his hand and walked over to her on his knees. He tried prying the book away from her hand, but Bonnie held onto it with a death grip. If Damon pulled any harder, he'd tear the book apart. He definitely didn't want to do that to Zinnia's book.

"Give me the book," he teased.

"Move! Move!" Bonnie jumped up off the couch, pushing Damon to the ground, and made a mad dash to the bathroom. She burst through the door and start tossing her cookies.

Damon's mood changed drastically. It was the third day of morning sickness for Bonnie. Soon, she would start to suspect that she was pregnant if she weren't asking herself those questions already.

In the bathroom, Bonnie had just finished puking. She then wet a hand cloth, washed her face, and then rinsed out her mouth. She looked in the mirror and wondered. Her period was two weeks late.

_I can't be pregnant. Jeremy wore a condom. I saw him take it off. Everything looked good_, she thought.

Bonnie ran her fingers through her hair. It was long, pretty, passed her neck. She then rubbed her tummy. It felt weird. She was pregnant. She had to be. Her mind rambled on and on.

"You've been eating a lot of bread lately. You've been under a lot of stress lately, too. It has to be why I'm late. It has to be why my stomach is getting bigger, right?" she questioned and then laughed.

"It has to be. Jeremy wore a condom, and Damon is a vampire, so it's impossible, Bonnie," she convinced herself as she looked into the mirror.

After Bonnie talked things over with herself, she went back to the living room.

"Are you okay?" Damon asked, a guilty look on his face, sadness in his voice.

"Yeah, I'm okay," she said, and then nodded, but she couldn't let go of what she had been thinking about when she was in the bathroom.

"I'm late, Damon. Did you eat that fruit that Tupac told you about?"

"No. No. No, Bonnie," Damon stammered for the words as he shifted nervously on his feet.

"I'm gaining weight. My hair is growing like grass, and I missed my period."

"Bonnie, you've been under a lot of stress lately, and you've been indulging in lots of bread and sweets," Damon explained sweetly as he walked over to her, taking her by the shoulders.

"Do you hear a heartbeat inside of me?" Bonnie asked hesitantly, a pleading look in her eyes.

"No. No," Damon answered nervously.

"Okay, so maybe, I just need to relax. Maybe my cycle is different or changing because of this planet," Bonnie explained. She exhaled, grabbed her chest, and took another sigh of relief.

Damon was dying inside. This wasn't right and he knew it, but he and Bonnie were living in pure bliss. His life was a dream come true, and the only thing missing was Stefan.

He cupped Bonnie's chin. He closed and quickly opened his eyes and prepared himself to tell her the truth, but then he was painfully reminded of why he didn't want to tell her.

"Well, if I was pregnant, I would just come up with a spell to get rid of it," Bonnie joked, not realizing what she was saying.

Damon laughed to hide his pain. "Yeah, I hear ya."

They stared at each other for a moment. Damon was feeling so many things in this moment that he simply needed a hug. He pulled Bonnie into him and held her tightly.

"Mmm, I needed this." Bonnie rubbed his back tenderly before running her fingers through the back of his hair.

"Everything is going to be okay, Bonnie. I promise."

"I know, and it's because I have you."

Damon closed his eyes. He hoped that Bonnie would remember those words once the truth revealed itself.


	11. Chapter 11: My Choice

**A/N: **This chapter has been newly edited, replaced (as well as one and two) and some changes have been made. I hope you enjoy! XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

**Oblivion: Chapter 11: A Woman's Right to Choose. **

Damon lay in bed, a mixture of emotions churning inside him. He and Bonnie had one of the best days ever, merely doing the simplest things in life, enjoying nature and one another's company. Their relationship was flourishing but he knew that was all about to crash and burn once Bonnie finally admitted to herself that she was pregnant, and with his child, no less.

He exhaled and blinked. The guilt Damon felt over being deceitful to Bonnie was starting to eat away at him.

He and Bonnie were honest with each other, yet here he was lying to her so easily. He wasn't a liar. This wasn't him. Yes, he was selfish, as selfish as they came. He would definitely own up to that flaw in his personality.

Bonnie groaned and unknowingly pushed a pillow against her growing belly and turned on her side.

Damon narrowed his eyes and shot her a pensive look. He unconsciously licked his lips as he trailed his hand down over his treasure trail, then groped himself.

His mantra of thoughts about his dilemma shifted to something naughtier. Here he was lying in bed with a beautiful woman and he wasn't trying to make a move on her. Damon was very turned on by Bonnie, but just being in her orbit, no touching, no talking to one another, he still felt at his most serene and blissful.

Damon loved how he and Bonnie would gravitate to each other whenever they walked side by side, sat down next to each other, or laid in bed with one another. They always seem to drift into each other like magnets, and it wasn't until they were thrust into this new life together that he picked up on that little known fact about their relationship.

His serious expression turned into a jubilant one as he continued to stare at Bonnie.

"Uuuh," she groaned in her sleep, again, as her body stiffened on top of the bed.

This immediately caught Damon's attention. She was in pain. He could hear it in her voice and feel it in her body temperature.

The pain was so unbearable that it woke Bonnie out of her deep sleep. She let out a loud, bloodcurdling cry as she clutched her belly tightly.

"Bonnie? Bonnie, are you okay?" Damon grabbed her shoulder and turned her to him.

"My stomach feels like it's on fire," she panted.

"Let me see," Damon said worriedly as his eyes widened. He slowly lifted Bonnie's nightgown only to see her stomach stretching and growing.

Bonnie glanced down at her belly and began to scream.

"Shh, shh, it's okay, Bonnie," Damon said calmingly as he rested his hand on her face, turning her gaze to his.

Bonnie snatched her face away from his grasp and grabbed a hold of her stomach, trying to snuff out the pain.

Damon began to panic, which was something he rarely did until he found New Earth. He found himself unable to do anything but watch as Bonnie suffered through the excruciating pain of the baby growing at a rapid rate inside her tiny body, and he didn't know this. He assumed the worse.

Damon grew infuriated. He wasn't about to let Bonnie get off so easily and lose his baby.

He extended his incisors and savagely bit into his wrist and tried to force feed Bonnie his blood, but she brutally pushed his bleeding appendage away from her, but Damon was insistent on her having his blood so he tried again. He grabbed Bonnie firmly by the neck and pushed his dripping wound against her lips, smearing them with his metallic-tasting liquid and forced her to take his blood.

She feebly suckled on his wrist until another wave of pain hit.

"Fuck!" Damn blasted.

His blood couldn't stop the brutal assault against Bonnie's body.

"Here, just take a little more," he said anxiously.

"No, please. Go away," she panted as she balled up on the bed and snugly clutched her belly.

Damon didn't want to cause her anymore discomfort, so he ceased his efforts in aiding her back to health and took her up into his arms. He laid his cheek against hers and massaged her back, hoping that it would ease her pain.

His bare chest and strong hands were heaven to Bonnie's feverish and sweaty body.

"It's okay," Damon whispered against her cheek as he pushed the wet strands of hair plastered to her face behind her ear.

After ten long minutes had passed, Bonnie's pain finally subsided.

Damon listened for the baby's heartbeat. He exhaled a sigh of relief as he looked down at Bonnie's stomach.

Bonnie lowly panted as she looked down at her pregnant belly, frightened. She closed and then opened her eyes, squeezing out tears in the process. What was Damon's joy was her horror.

Bonnie had some inkling that she was pregnant, but she didn't want to believe that she was. She never supposed in a hundred years that the baby would turn out to be Damon Salvatore's.

Sure, she felt like the fruit might have been some miracle but in the back of her mind she realized that the possibility of Jeremy's condom breaking was more likely than the verdant making Damon productive, but alas, her assumptions were wrong.

The horrible realization of going back home with Damon's baby began to sink into her awareness.

She cursed herself for daring to live in the moment with him. She wished now that her steamy fantasies about Damon would have stayed just that, a fantasy.

While Bonnie was mentally ripping herself apart about her dilemma and trying to figure a way out of her mess, Damon was gloating and thinking of baby names. His complete existence in this moment was his own personal heaven as his hand hypnotically drifted down to Bonnie's stomach.

He swallowed the large lump in his throat. The move gave him the strength to touch her belly with his slightly trembling hand. He ran it gently over her baby bump. He was so nervous that he chuckled. Damon forgot all about the mayhem that would soon arise once Bonnie got over her sheer shock of being with child.

Bonnie rested her warm mouth against Damon's upper arm as he held her firmly in his grasp. She squeezed his arm and bashfully watched his cool, strong hand massage her scorching belly. She was astounded to see Damon be so tender with her. It warmed her heart, but the move still didn't stop Bonnie from being completely enraged with him.

She should have known that he was lying to her about hearing the baby's heartbeat.

The anxious childlike look on Damon's face should have been her clue that he wasn't being truthful.

"You lied to me?" she inquired coldly through tight lips.

Damon froze. His and Bonnie's friendship would now be put to the test, and the thought of it made him tremble at his core. He removed his hand from her stomach, flopped back against the bed as he rested his arm on top of his forehead. He stared up at the ceiling, contemplating how to answer Bonnie's question.

"I heard the baby's heartbeat, but I didn't want to tell you because I was afraid you would kill the baby," he dragged out the words.

Bonnie angrily slapped the bed, jumped out of bed, and ran in to the living area. The house was dark, and she had nothing but the light of the moons to help guide her.

"Fuck!" Bonnie shouted after stomping her toe on the leg of the table as she desperately tried to get to one of the candles.

Bonnie collapsed down onto the couch and ran her thin fingers through her long chocolaty strands. Tears collected in her eyes as she thought about her quandary.

Damon lay in bed, listening to Bonnie sniffling in the next room. Guilt incapacitated him. He was rendered speechless. There was nothing he could say to Bonnie that could make the situation better. He outright lied to her and there was no coming back from that.

Bonnie got up from the couch and slowly paced the floor. The tears started rolling down her smooth, tawny cheeks like clockwork. Her body slightly jerked as she violently cried.

She now had to make a choice between going back to Mystic Falls and ending her pregnancy, or staying here, on New Earth, in Gardenia, with the people that she had quickly grown to care for and wanted to protect, along with the man that she had grown to care deeply for as well, but right now, she was incredibly angry with this man.

Though she didn't know why she was angry with him. It wasn't like Damon had planned on getting her pregnant. Bonnie kept pacing the floor, rubbing her pregnant belly as she continued to ponder over her decision.

"Bonnie," Damon called to her from the entranceway of their bedroom in a low, husky, somber voice.

Bonnie tried to sober herself as she looked to his silhouette.

"I shouldn't have lied to you."

She looked at him for a spell, not knowing what to say.

"Do you… are you… will you," Damon shifted nervously on his feet trying to ask her the inevitable question. He stepped out into the dim light, searching her unreadable face as if it would give him some clue of how she felt.

"I need time," Bonnie answered dryly. She already knew what he was trying to ask.

Damon nodded, looking brokenhearted.

Bonnie sat on the couch and rubbed her arms as if she were cold.

"Come lay down. I know you must be tired."

"I need some time alone," she replied.

Bonnie's response devastated Damon even more. Not only did he have to deal with the possibility of her killing his child, he wouldn't have her company and the comfort of her closeness to make the delicate situation slightly better.

"You can have the bed," he said.

Bonnie chuckled through her sniffling. "You wouldn't be comfortable on this tiny thing," she said as she mindlessly ran her hand over the red futon-like sofa.

"Umph," Damon grunted. "Thanks for looking out for me. I guess," he answered sarcastically.

Bonnie's eyes darted over to him. She glared. "Good night, Damon," she responded nastily before laying down on the couch.

"Well, I guess that's that," Damon replied, then walked back to the room.

There was a lot more he wanted to say to Bonnie but tempers were flared and emotions were high, so he decided to let sleeping dogs lie, for now.

::::::

Caroline drove over to the boarding house consumed with hurt. She had let Stefan down. She could kick her own ass for not being nicer to Klaus and persuading him to see things her way. _Why did I lure him back under false pretenses?_

"Fuck! Fuck!" she shouted as she banged the steering wheel and began to cry.

She finally pulled up to the Salvatore's driveway. She quickly sobered when she saw Melissa and Tyler outside on the steps chatting and smiling lovingly at each other.

She stared at them for a minute, then rolled her eyes before getting out of the car.

"Hi, Tyler, Melissa," Caroline said, forcing herself to smile at them.

"What's up?" Melissa chimed.

"Hey, Caroline. How did things go with Klaus?" he asked.

"Uh, uh," she stuttered. "I need to talk to Stefan, first."

"Uh, yeah. Sure. I guess, but what happened? You look worried?" Tyler asked. He instantly noticed that something was wrong.

Caroline couldn't fight back the water works. "Klaus won't help. He won't," she whined.

"Fuck! That asshole!" Tyler shouted.

"Well, don't give up you guys. I'm sure Lucy can figure this out," Melissa encouraged.

"Oh, whatever," Caroline responded nastily, then hightailed it in to the house.

"What did I do?" Melissa asked, confused.

"You didn't do anything. She's just upset," Tyler explained before taking Melissa by the hand. He smiled at her. She smiled back.

"Come on, let's take a walk," Tyler suggested.

They walked away from the house through the lawn, smiling and glancing at each other all the while.

"I know you're worried about Stefan, but I have this feeling that he'll be okay," Melissa said, breaking their silence.

Tyler sighed, looking off into the distance. He wanted Melissa's positive thinking to sink into his consciousness, but her optimism attitude kept running into the break wall inside of him.

"Melissa, I want to believe you. I really do, but Klaus was our only hope, and now…" he trailed off.

"Now you think all is lost?"

"That's because it is, Melissa," Tyler said, stopping dead in his tracks.

"Well I think you're wrong, Tyler. Klaus may be angry now, but something could happen where he changes his mind, and if he doesn't… I feel confident that Lucy will find a way. She's a great witch."

"God, I hope so," Tyler said worriedly. He began to laugh as a thought came to mind. "Stefan and I aren't the best of friends, but all of us have been fighting together for so long to protect our home and our way of life that he feels like family to me."

"What… the black sheep in the family?" Melissa joked, then laughed.

"Yeah, something like that," Tyler answered, then lightly giggled, too.

"Tyler, I know a lot is going on right now, but could we go somewhere and hang out? I need a break from all the sadness, and I think you can use one, too, and plus… I really like you," Melissa declared sweetly.

Tyler laughed bashfully as he looked down at the ground and kicked up dirt. His eyes then wandered back up to Melissa.

"I would like that."

"Okay…" Melissa gleefully nodded her head. "Okay, good" She giggled like a little girl.

::::::

Damon and Bonnie woke up at the same time. Neither one could really sleep. Damon looked over at Bonnie as he stood in the entranceway of their bedroom. She looked back at him with a preoccupied gaze.

Instead of speaking to each other, they communicated with stares and glances. Damon's eyes darted over to the bathroom and Bonnie's eyes followed. She looked at him for a few more moments then went to the lavatory. After entering, she looked back at Damon, then at the yellow fruit in the bowl on the table, and lastly, at the pot sitting on the stove.

Damon nodded, motioning that he understood what she was trying to communicate. Bonnie nodded back, then closed the door to the bathroom.

Damon did as instructed. He hoped that if they sat down together for breakfast, they could strike up a rational conversation about their situation and come to a logical resolution that made them both happy.

Bonnie exited the restroom several moments later after washing up. They stared absorbedly at one another, again. Damon's eyes shifted down to Bonnie's belly and lingered there.

Bonnie loudly cleared her throat and shot Damon an annoyed look. He shook his head and rolled his eyes at her absurd behavior, then went to the bathroom, and slammed the door behind him.

Bonnie went to the kitchen table, sat down, and looked dazedly at the fire burning underneath the pot. Her eyes thinned as a thought entered her mind. She began to recall how suspicious Damon acted when she tried to send the message back home to their loved ones, letting them know that they were okay.

Through the night Bonnie had calmed herself, but once she realized that Damon had known about her being pregnant for a lot longer than he had pretended, she became infuriated all over again.

Damon entered the room. He looked at Bonnie. She shot him a flagrant look.

"O…kay," he dragged out, looking peculiarly at her with narrowing eyes, his lips twisted.

Bonnie rolled her eyes at Damon behind his back as he cut up fruit and made her favorite tea.

He sat her plate down in front of her before sitting down to eat, too.

As he ate, he shifted his gaze everywhere but on Bonnie. He could feel her menacing eyes staring at him from over the rim of her cup.

The tension in the room had become too much for him to bear, so he put his focus on everything but the glaring woman sitting in front of him.

He keyed into the sounds of the water moving through the aqueducts, to the people laughing in the near distance, and to the horses running in the field, yards away from their villa. The sounds of nature soothed him some, but nothing was more calming to him than that of his own child's heartbeat, but sadly, the more he listened to it, the angrier he became with Bonnie.

_God, she is so damn self-sacrificing, _Damon blasted in thought_._

He raced Bonnie a livid look.

She took a bite of her fruit, her eyes meeting Damon's as she lifted her head, and Damon gave her a fake grin.

"Whatever," she mumbled.

He tilted his head back to the ceiling and mouthed, 'why' as he imagined strangling Bonnie.

"Uh, Bonnie." Damon decided to address the elephant in the room. "We can stay here, make a life for us and the baby," he suggested.

"What about Stefan, Alaric?"

"They'll be okay without me. Hell, they'll probably be even better than okay," he mocked, then laughed.

Bonnie didn't share his sentiment, and Damon immediately lost his smile.

"How long have you known about the baby, Damon?" She could no longer ignore the burning question sitting at the tip of her tongue.

He sent her a piercing gaze, clicking his jaw.

"The day you tried sending the message back home to the others," he answered, regretfully.

Bonnie laid her head in her hands, disappointed.

"How could you not tell me, Damon? How could you take away my choice?"

"…and how could you want to kill your own child? That's your baby, Bonnie. It doesn't matter who the father is. It's your baby," Damon expressed passionately.

"I know it's my baby, but there's so much at stake. There's the safety of these people and this town. My baby won't be safe here," she paused. "What if being pregnant affects my magic, and there's also the fact that I'm not ready to be a mother. I'm young. I want to go to college and make something of my life, and what about Elena?"

"FUCK, ELENA!" Damon hit the table with such force that the dishes bounced up off the table, spilling its contents and their tea in the process.

For the first time ever, Damon was seeing how things always being about and for Elena was a major problem for him, his friends, the town, and everyone, and he was sick of it. For a fleeting moment, he was surprised that he could feel this way about a woman that he was once so completely consumed with.

Bonnie pushed herself away from the table to prevent the liquid from pouring off of it and onto her.

"You don't mean that, Damon," she said in a soft voice.

"I do, Bonnie. Elena has probably found her way back to my brother. This baby will be all that I have. You can't take this away from me."

"It's the right thing to do."

Before Bonnie could get the words fully out of her mouth, Damon marched out of the house and slammed the door behind him.

He didn't miss a beat as he marched down the road cursing under his breath. He had more than he could stand of Bonnie's altruistic self. It was a beautiful thing when hurting him wasn't part of her decision to martyr herself. Damon walked for so long that he didn't realize that he was in the middle of the woods.

He looked at his surroundings, raging. He wished he could rip someone apart. He'd give anything to free himself of his pain by transferring it onto someone else.

Misery poured over Damon like a waterfall. He was ready to find the nearest cave, fall asleep, and never wake up. If the wretchedness he felt wasn't so debilitating, he would have done just that, but he collapsed against a tree instead, then drifted down to the forest floor.

He sat on the ground, contemplating ways to make Bonnie see things his way, but he kept coming back to the same conclusion—to respect Bonnie and her decisions; because alas, it was the right thing to do.

:::::

All eyes in the house landed on Caroline as she came walking in to the living room.

"Caroline, thank God. Did Klaus give you his blood?" Elena asked.

Caroline looked at Elena, then to Stefan, a grave look on her face.

"He said 'no'. Didn't he?" Lucy asked, her arms crossed and a pensive look in her eyes.

"He won't do it," Caroline stated as the tears welled up in her eyes.

"Jesus, Caroline. What did you do?" Elena stated skeptically.

"I didn't do shit. I just followed your dumb ass plan and it backfired!" Caroline yelled.

"Come on, ladies. There's no need to argue. No one's to blame here," Lucy intervened.

"Yes, someone is to blame, and it's Caroline," Elena shot.

"You bitch!"

"Excuse me?" Elena widened her eyes in disbelief.

"Stefan didn't even exist when you were fucking Damon, now all of sudden you care so much about him. When he died, you glanced at his dead body with a constipated look, then you went back to worrying about Damon!"

Stefan looked down at the floor, a devastated look on his face. He realized he shouldn't stand there and allow the friends to fight, but he had more pressing issues to contend with.

"Will both of you shut up!" Lucy yelled at the top of her lungs.

Elena and Caroline shot Lucy a nasty look but ceased fire.

"Stefan, don't give up. I will look over my grimores, again. I'll also contact my friends. Maybe they know of a way to cure you. There has to be a spell out there that can cure you, but in the meantime, try talking to Klaus, again, please."

Caroline nodded, but she knew that Klaus wouldn't come through, at least not for her.

"Lucy, there's not a spell. I've never known a vampire to survive a werewolf bite," Stefan said somberly, not sparing her a glance as he walked over to the window and looked out at the sunny day.

"You don't know that Stefan," she replied assuredly.

"Okay, talk to your friends. I'll see you later," he said, still looking out the window.

Lucy stared at him for a spell, then left.

Caroline and Elena watched Stefan carefully. They both were still trying to process the fact that he could die and that they would never see him, again, and this time there would be no way to bring him back. The Other Side was completely gone. His death would be final.

"Stefan, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I messed things up for you by not being nicer to Klaus. Shit. Fuck. I hate myself," Caroline said pitifully and began to cry.

Stefan turned around and smiled at her. He watched her with a loving gaze as she cried into her hands.

Elena crossed her arms, taking in a sharp intake of air as she watched Stefan affectionately observe Caroline.

Stefan went to Caroline. He dawdled his fingers down her face. "You're always looking out for me. You've never let me down. I know Lucy will find away, so don't cry."

"Do you really believe that?"

Stefan looked at her, thinking. He didn't believe that Lucy would find a way to save him, but he wasn't about to let Caroline and Elena know that he had serious doubts.

"I believe Lucy will find a way."

Caroline smiled, then took Stefan into a warm embrace.

Elena found herself on the outside looking in once more and she hated it. She had grown so used to being the object of affection to both Stefan and Damon for so long that it was odd seeing Stefan be so fond of someone else.

Bonnie was with Damon in death and Caroline and Stefan were dealing with the loss of Damon together and here she was all alone.

As Stefan held Caroline in his arms, comforting her, he found his eyes searching for Elena and there she was, right there in plain sight.

Elena smiled at him and he couldn't help but find himself smiling back at her. It went against the wishes of his better judgment, but his heart wouldn't shut her out, no matter how much he wanted it to.

Stefan's gaze became more ravenous and penetrating, making Elena uncomfortable, but she didn't break their trance. She pushed an imaginary strand of hair behind her ear and inhaled.

She rubbed her elbows, subconsciously begging Stefan to wrap her up in his arms.

Stefan began to feel anxious in Caroline's embrace.

Elena's innocent gaze seemed to summon him.

_No, Stefan,_ he whispered within. He blinked, internally bringing himself back to reality.

He then reminded himself that once they brought Damon back, Elena would go back to her all-consuming love affair with his brother.

Stefan closed his eyes, shutting Elena out and leaving her all alone.

::::::

After Damon left, Bonnie cried herself to sleep on the couch. She woke up and glanced around the house seeing that Damon still hadn't made it back.

She had never hated herself more than she did right now. She felt like the most evil person in the universe. She was born a protector of the innocent yet here she was sentencing to death the most innocent creature of all, an unborn child, _her_ unborn child.

Bonnie cried, again, and for the first time ever, she felt sorry for herself. Every time she sacrificed herself, she did so without having one ounce of regret. Giving her life for her friends gave her purpose and it made her happy knowing that she made the people that she loved happy.

As she thought about each time she died, it dawned on her that she did so for only one person, and that one person was Elena.

Bonnie sobered, then laughed at herself. "I'm so pathetic."

She ran her hand over her belly as she looked out to the beautiful pale, blue sky.

"Am I making the right choice?"

Bonnie lay on the sofa, awaiting a sign. She fell asleep, still waiting for an answer that never came.

Damon staggered in the house later that night. After sulking in the woods, he tried to drink away his sorrows with Tao. He had drunk so much liquor and smoked so much of the herbs that everything around him seemed like a dream.

Damon stumbled over to Bonnie, then sat the gift he brought for her down on the table.

He stood over her and watched her sleep for an insuperable amount of time before her body finally sensed his presence.

"Damon," she whispered as she stared up at him.

Damon dropped to his knees and pushed his face into hers.

"Uh, okay," Bonnie said, then chuckled.

The tip of Damon's nose rested on her lip and was practically in her mouth.

Bonnie gently pushed his face away so that she could breathe. Damon sat up and looked down on her with a blank expression before running his fingers intensely down Bonnie's face.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, his foul breath blew in her face as he spoke.

"Oh, God, go brush your teeth!"

"What?" Damon pushed his hand into his face. He looked at it in wonderment, then waved it in front of him to make sure it was real. He blew into his hand, getting a good whiff of his breath.

"Shit. What died?" Damon narrowed his eyes in bewilderment as he looked around the room for the culprit.

Bonnie laughed. Her voice put Damon's attention back on her. He looked at her as if she were the only woman in the world, and it made Bonnie feel self-conscious.

"Don't look at me like that," she reprimanded as she mindlessly pulled at her nightgown trying to hide herself.

"Look at you like what?"

"Like that."

"You're beautiful, Bonnie," he replied gruffly.

Bonnie was rendered speechless by his declaration.

They suddenly found themselves looking at each other with a long, spellbinding gaze by the flickering candles. Their eyes took each other in, inch by inch. Bonnie's eyes searched over his vested shirt and his bulging biceps. Damon's eyes wondered over the pulsating vein on her neck, down her cleavage, over her baby bump, then over her soft, shapely legs.

Damon grew bored with looking. He was ready to do more with her. He trailed his fingers as lightly as a feather down her heated, silky thigh, wishing he could nestle his cock in her warm, tight, wet sheath.

He licked his lips. She swallowed shyly. Her hand had a mind of its own as her fingers began to slide over her thigh, meeting Damon's fingertips halfway as they continued to stare yearningly at each other.

Bonnie ran her thin fingers over his strong, veined hand and gently massaged the back of it. She wished that it was his cock in its place as she caressed his hand ever so passionately.

The words 'I love you' collected in Bonnie's brain but got stuck in her throat.

"I'm sorry, Damon," she said as an alternative. Her stubbornness was undoubtedly stronger than the desirous voice that screamed from within.

"Don't be. I understand."

"You do?" Her voice cracked under the burden of her hopelessness.

Damon exhaled. "No. I don't understand, Bonnie, but I respect your decision. If this is what you want, then I'll be here for you."

Bonnie looked into Damon's mesmerizing eyes. It was almost too much to bear. _How can I deny him this?_ She questioned remorsefully.

"Can I say goodbye to him or her?"

"Okay," she answered lowly.

Damon laid his head on her belly. He held his hand in the air and spread his fingers, inviting Bonnie to lock fingers with his.

She placed her thin fingers against his, then folded them over his hand, and Damon followed suit. They squeezed each other's hands tightly.

Damon rested his head on her belly for several moments, not knowing what to say. He suddenly wished that he hadn't consumed so much liquor. His mind had gone blank. He had no words, not even tears, only massive amounts of feelings that he couldn't put into words.

"What should I say?"

"Say what's in your heart," Bonnie said dazedly as she stared blankly out the window.

"I wish I could meet you," he said, then kissed her belly through her nightgown.

Bonnie's lips began to quiver. "I can't do this."

She pushed Damon off of her and ran to the bedroom.

Damon sat on the couch for a spell, trying to gain his composure. There was no way he was going to sleep on the sofa, alone, and without Bonnie. Here they were, making the hardest decision they had ever made in their lives, and they needed to be there for each other.

Damon stood up so fast that he almost fell over. He had forgotten how intoxicated he was. He dragged himself to the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth. He hoped that the cool water would help to sober him.

As he walked back through the living area, he noticed the leather bag containing his gift. He picked it up before peeking inside, smiling.

Damon entered the bedroom and looked over at Bonnie who was still crying. He tossed the gift on the bed and then clumsily removed his clothes. He removed everything but his underwear. He crawled across the bed, laid down beside Bonnie, then threw an arm around her, and clutched her tightly to him.

"We're going to get through this."

"You don't hate me?" she asked.

"No," he answered. "Do you hate me?"

"No."

"I'm not doing this to hurt you. It's killing me knowing what I have to do," she explained.

"I know. Maybe some other time or place, perhaps, and when that time comes, I want to give our baby this," Damon grabbed the bag and pulled out a brown teddy bear. He reached over Bonnie's head and placed the stuffed animal in her view.

"Oh, my God," Bonnie said unbelievably. "It's beautiful, Damon. It reminds me of Ms. Cuddles."

She grabbed the bear and held it snugly to her as she closed her eyes.

Damon peeked over her shoulder and smiled. Bonnie threw an arm over his head and pressed his cheek strongly to hers.

"What should we call him?" he asked.

"Can we call him Mr. Cuddles? Now, they'll be Mister and Miss Cuddles." She grinned.

"I can't think of a better name," Damon said sweetly as he tinkered with the bear's nose.

"I love you, so much, Bonnie. I never thought I could feel this way for anyone," Damon expressed passionately in a deep, raspy voice, his cheek still against hers.

His declaration sent chills up Bonnie's spine as she looked out into the room, a frightened look in her eyes.

Damon knew Bonnie wouldn't say the words back, but he didn't care, because he got to have her and share this amazing life with her.

Bonnie became misty-eyed. She slightly smiled through her quivering lips at this incredible moment she was sharing with Damon, of all people.

She squeezed his cheek to hers even tighter, hypnotically turning her lips to his. They kissed each other sweetly, over and over.

Damon broke away from the kiss and pushed his arm underneath her head and kissed her cheek sweetly, repeatedly. Bonnie closed her eyes and enjoyed his loving caresses. He then rubbed her belly with his free hand. Bonnie loved this even more.

He turned her on her back. He finally remembered what he wanted to do to her earlier as he lifted her nightgown and began trailing sweet smooches over her belly.

Bonnie threaded her fingers through his hair as he kissed her. She realized she should make him stop, but she couldn't. His soft, cool, mauve lips felt like heaven against her scorching skin. She could definitely get used to this wonderful feeling during her entire pregnancy.

Bonnie was a realist. There was no happy ending for her whether she had her baby or not.

"No, Damon. We shouldn't," she whined.

Damon didn't care. He wasn't going to let Bonnie take this moment away from him. He looked up at her. The lighting from the moons allowed Bonnie to see his pain and the desire in his eyes, and Damon could see the pleading look in hers.

"I won't let you take this away from me," he said sternly, his piercing blue eyes staring right through her green ones and straight into her soul.

Bonnie nodded. He gave her his trademark smirk, then went back to kissing and massaging her pregnant belly to his heart's content.

::::::

Damon and Bonnie woke up early the next day. They gathered up a backpack full of their favorite fruit to take back to Mystic Falls. Damon made sure to grab plenty of the verdant for himself, Stefan, and even for Caroline and Elena.

They then broke the bad news to Zinnia and Tupac about going back home and Zinnia was not okay with Bonnie killing her baby. She left the house in a huff after hearing the announcement.

Tupac was devastated because he was hoping that Damon could go on a mission with him to get more stones to make day walking rings for his men and that Bonnie would make them.

After speaking with Tupac, Bonnie realized what a predicament she was putting Tupac and his people in, but she still didn't let those roadblocks affect her decision. She promised to return to finish what she had started, but Tupac still wasn't okay with this, but he respected their decision.

He reminded himself that Chogan had put him and his people in their dilemma. He couldn't hold Bonnie and Damon completely accountable.

Later in the afternoon, Bonnie and Damon sat around the forest with Monkey Man, joking as they waited for Tupac and Zinnia to see them off.

"Bonnie are we sure this fruit will survive the trip back?" he asked.

"Beats the hell out of me," she said, then laughed. Damon followed. "I wonder if Zinnia and Tupac will show?" she wondered.

Damon looked at her pensively. "Are you sure leaving these people is the right thing to do, Bon Bon?"

Bonnie shot him a shamefaced look. She found herself not knowing how to answer his question, because there was no good reason for her to leave Gardenia and its people when she knew of their impending doom.

"I promise I will come back for them, Damon," she answered guiltily,

"What if we can't come back, Bonnie? Tupac's men need those rings," Damon reminded. He was slightly surprised to see Bonnie be so selfish. He honestly didn't think she had it in her, but when it came to Elena, people did bizarre things and Bonnie was not immune.

"We'll be able to come back. I have my magic, and I never break a promise."

"My, my, aren't we a little cocky," he said, then grinned.

"Damon, Bonnie," Zinnia greeted, displeased.

Bonnie and Damon got to their feet to properly greet their friends.

"Sorry we're late," Tupac said as he walked over to them, lessening the distance between them.

"Bonnie, I have something I want to say to you," Zinnia said.

"Zinnia," Tupac warned.

The last thing he wanted was for Zinnia to anger their newfound friends, especially when they needed them the most.

"You won't stop me from speaking my mind," she snapped at her husband.

"I'm listening," Bonnie replied seriously.

"You can't kill your baby, Bonnie. It's your baby."

"Zinnia, I don't have to explain myself to you," Bonnie said, annoyed, then walked to one of her bags and pretended to look for something.

"Bonnie, if you don't want your baby, then give it to me. I will love your child since you refuse to."

"I do love my baby!"

Damon and Tupac shifted their eyes quickly between the women.

"Well, if you loved your baby so much then why are you killing it?!"

"It's the right thing to do for everyone involved!"

"You are such a stupid, stupid, young girl."

"Zinnia!" Tupac warned, yet again.

"Leave her alone," Damon defended.

Tupac returned Damon an unbelieving look.

"I'm stupid because I don't want to hurt my friends?"

"What about Damon's pain and yours?"

"I'm out of here." Bonnie huffed as she walked to a nearby clearing.

"No; you don't get to run away from this."

"Whatever."

Zinnia vamp sped to Bonnie and took her roughly by the arms.

"Get your hands off of me!" Bonnie shouted as she tried to shove Zinnia off of her, but Zinnia held onto Bonnie with all her vampire strength.

"Your powers won't work, Bonnie, because your heart and your body knows that this is wrong. You don't want to do this. I can see it in your eyes. You want this baby, and you love Damon. Admit it!" Zinnia shouted in Bonnie's face,passionately expressing herself.

Damon was astounded. Zinnia could see that Bonnie loved him and this pleased him immensely.

Tupac tried taking after his wife to pull her off of Bonnie, but Damon grabbed him and pinned him to a tree.

"What are you doing man?" Tupac questioned, confused.

"Let them be," Damon snarled.

Damon was so happy at what was happening between Zinnia and Bonnie. He had hoped that something would intervene and be his voice of reason, and here that something was by way of Zinnia.

"Get off of me! You don't know what's in my heart!" Bonnie yelled, then used her powers to throw Zinnia off of her. She pinned her friend to a tree with her magic and began to chant, again.

Bonnie could feel her emotions violently churning inside her. She didn't want to kill her baby, and she loved Damon, but she refused to admit what was in her heart. She tried her best to shut out Zinnia's words because it hurt her to face and hear the truth.

The portal began to open, but Bonnie couldn't sustain it. Her emotions had incapacitated her. She had yet to figure out the key element to her power was her love for Damon and now her baby, ao once again, her power failed her, and this time it did so at record speed. She didn't get that ten minutes of raining glory like she had gotten before.

Blood poured from her nose after two minutes of chanting. The portal erratically opened and closed and lightning flashed around it, indicating that something was terribly wrong.

"Bonnie!" Damon yelled against the roaring wind.

"You have to stop her!" Tupac yelled, next.

Monkey Man jumped fitfully up and down. He wanted the loudness to stop.

Bonnie finally collapsed under the weight of her own great power. Her body drifted down to the ground. The portal closed brutally in on itself which caused a loud thunderous roar to fill the air.

"Bonnie!" Damon yelled before running to her rescue. Once again, he was there to catch her before she hit the ground.

"No," Bonnie whimpered and began to cry as she looked around at her surroundings with a frightened look in her eyes.

Tupac and Zinnia rushed to her aid, next. "This is for the best, Bonnie. You'll see," Zinnia cried through the words.

Bonnie could feel herself slipping into unconsciousness as she looked up at Damon who was smiling down on her.

"Damon," she murmured.

"I'm here, Bonnie. I'll always be here for you," he answered as he cradled her head against his chest.

Bonnie returned to him a sweet grin, then passed out.

:::::

Three weeks had passed and Stefan still hadn't heard anything about Damon and Bonnie, and Lucy's attempt to save his life had failed.

Stefan lay in Damon's bed, waiting for the inevitable in surprisingly great spirits. He had only one wish in his last several hours of life and that was to be near his brother's belongings.

During the last two weeks, Stefan truly contemplated over his entire existence on Earth and what he wanted for his life, henceforth, and ironically, he was ready to die.

His conclusion wasn't an easy one, especially since he was so hell-bent on living when he was first bitten.

When Stefan thought about all the lives that he had taken, his lust for blood, and how he had to struggle day in and out with it, he recognized that Tyler biting him was the best thing that could've happened to Mystic Falls and everyone in her.

There was nothing tethering him to the world anymore since he had lost the two people that he had loved the most, Damon and Elena. He had grown to care deeply for Caroline over the years, too, but in his heart he knew that she would be better off without him, though Caroline would beg to differ.

While Stefan was upstairs, he could hear all his friends downstairs discussing other options that would hopefully keep him alive. He was surprised to hear even Enzo have some input on the matter as well.

"They want to save me," he barely whispered, his eyes still closed.

"Sh, try to get some rest."

Lucy looked down at Stefan's greyish, sweat-covered body, and the black veins filled with poison that covered his neck with a grave look in her eyes.

She was so upset with herself for letting Stefan and Bonnie down that she could barely look at Stefan without crying, but she tried to hold it together for him. The last thing her friend needed was to hear the one's around him be filled with sadness.

Lucy was intent on doing something right by her good friend if it was the last thing that she did.

Stefan tried to open his heavy eyelids when he heard the doorbell ring. He began to move timidly about the bed when he heard Klaus's voice and Caroline's tears of joy.

Instead of Stefan feeling happy with Klaus's presence, he felt anxious and worried, because he didn't want to be saved.

"Klaus! What are you doing here?" Caroline inquired excitedly and began to shed tears of joy.

"I'm here because of Stefan," he stated coldly as he stared Caroline square in the eye.

"Thank you! Thank you so much for doing this for me!" Caroline said gratefully.

"I'm not here because of you," Klaus answered rudely, then ran upstairs.

Caroline looked shamefaced as she watched him run up the steps.

Stefan listened acutely as Klaus's footsteps crept slowly across the wooden floor. Clack, clack, clack his shoes went as he drew nearer. Stefan heard as Klaus entered his room first; he smiled when Klaus cursed because he had entered the wrong room. "Are you fucking kidding me? Trying to make a grand entrance here," he mumbled.

"Excuse me, love. Where the hell is Stefan Salvatore?"

"He's in Damon's room," Casey answered.

"Thank you."

Stefan keyed in on Klaus's heavy footsteps, again, as they headed in his direction. Stefan murmured and tried to sit up in bed.

"Don't move, just try to relax," Lucy advised as she patted Stefan's forehead with a cold towel.

"Klaus," he called, trying to alert Lucy to his arrival.

Lucy and Stefan stared at the door as Klaus fumbled with the knob. Klaus was here to save him, so he claimed, but Stefan couldn't help but laugh at the man's lack of urgency to get to him_. I'll be dead by the time he arrives, _Stefan laughed in thought.

Klaus finally opened the door to the room with just as much urgency as he did when walking down the hall.

"Hello, old friend," Klaus greeted with a coy grin.

"Friend? Unf, funny," Stefan replied, then choked out a laugh. His comment elicited a low chuckle from Klaus.

"Hello, Klaus. I'm Lucy Bennett," she greeted as she held out a hand for him to take.

"Hmm, a Bennett witch," Klaus greeted, then took her hand, and kissed the back of it.

Lucy smiled oddly at him.

"May I have a word alone with my friend Lucy?"

"Please," she replied happily.

"Everything is going to be okay," Lucy whispered in Stefan's ear, then kissed his cheek.

She hurried out of the room and Klaus's eyes remained glued to her ass until she disappeared. "Unf," he licked his lips, then turned his attention back to Stefan.

"How much?" Stefan dragged out.

"How much for what?"

"The cost of your blood, because I know there's a price."

Klaus smiled at Stefan before taking a seat in the chair next to the bed.

"I don't want to see you die, Stefan. Is that so hard to believe? If you die, I won't have anyone here in Mystic Falls to bully."

"…and you're sure this is not about a certain blonde?"

"This is not about Caroline, and I resent the implication," Klaus answered sternly. "Now, are we going to keep bickering like an old married couple or are you going to let me feed you my blood?"

Stefan looked at Klaus with an absorbent gaze as he thought about how to deliver the bad news without alarming Caroline who was standing on the other side of the door.

"I won't need your blood."

"What?" Klaus whispered in horror.

"It's time, Klaus."

"What about this bloke?" Klaus inquired, picking up the picture of Damon and Stefan from off the night stand.

Stefan looked at the image and his eyes began to water. He reached for the picture. Klaus met him halfway.

"I let him down. I didn't bring him home," Stefan said somberly as he looked at the picture with glistening eyes.

"If you die, Stefan, your brother's death will be in vain."

"NO! You can't die!" Caroline screamed as she came bursting through the door.

"Damn it," Stefan groaned in a weakened voice.

Caroline's outburst had inadvertently alarmed everyone else in the house. Stefan looked up to see Alaric, Elena, Matt, Jeremy, Tyler, Enzo, Casey, Lucy, and Melissa all standing there before him.

"Klaus, give him your blood!"

"He doesn't want it, Caroline, and I will respect his wishes."

"Stefan, what is this?" Elena asked as she flashed by his side and kneeled over him after sitting on the bed.

"I want to die, Elena. It's my choice."

Elena closed her eyes, squeezing out tears.

Caroline went ballistic. She tried to impale Klaus with the shaft of the doorknob in an effort to get his blood, but Klaus grabbed the knob in mid-swing.

Caroline widened her eyes in horror as Klaus held onto the shaft with a death grip. She then tried repeatedly, again, to jab him with it, but her attempts were futile.

"Stop this, Caroline!"

Stefan heard someone shout before drifting off.

"Stefan! Stefan!"

"Elena?" Stefan mumbled as he widened his eyes.

"It's me."

"I want to talk to you, alone," he said.

Elena turned to the rest of the group, and they swiftly left the room.

"We're alone," she said.

"I'm sorry," Stefan said.

"You don't owe me an apology. It's me that owes you one. I'm sorry for all the pain that I've caused you," Elena said contritely in a shaky voice.

"Are you kidding me," Stefan replied through dry, cracked lips, then laughed. "You were my rock, Elena. You brought me back from darkness. My happiest memories were with you."

"I've done terrible things. I've been so selfish, and I broke your heart," Elena sniffled.

"You are a terrible person," Stefan replied, then smiled weakly at her. Elena chuckled through her tears.

"You don't have to die, Stefan."

"There's nothing left for me here."

A disappointed look covered Elena's face.

Stefan wrapped his hand around Elena's. She looked down at him through her glistening, whisky eyes as she slowly drifted down to him.

Stefan closed his eyes and puckered his lips, anticipating what was to come. Elena's lips pushed against his and his pushed back. Their lips lingered for a spell before Elena reluctantly pulled away.

"Elena," Stefan called faintly to her.

"What is it? I'm here."

"I lo...," Stefan trailed off, then drifted out of consciousness, yet again.

"Stefan! Stefan!" Caroline screamed as she came bursting back in to the room, pushing Elena off the bed. "You can't die on me! You can't leave me! Oh, God, please! I love you! I'm in love with you!" she cried through her declaration.

"I love you," slipped from Stefan's lips, his eyes still closed.

Elena widened her eyes in disbelief at hearing Stefan declare his love to Caroline.

"Stefan! No!" Caroline continued to violently cry out.

Stefan's eyelids were now too heavy to even open. His life force began to slip away.

"_Damon_."


	12. Chapter 12: The Inevitable Question

A/N: This chapter has been newly edited, replaced, and some changes have been made. I hope you enjoy!

Thank you all for reading my work and supporting me. Please comment if you can, or want to… LOL!

**Oblivion Chapter 12: The Great Wall**

Bonnie passed out in Damon's arms. He looked over her face, at her blood-covered lips and chin with a wondering look in his eyes. He rested his hand on her face and ran his thumb over her cheek. A crooked smile slowly began to form on his face when he recalled the things that Zinnia had said to Bonnie.

He wasn't the only one that could see how much Bonnie cared for him.

"We should probably get her home. It's getting late," Zinnia said, taking Damon from his thoughts.

"Uh, yeah," Damon replied.

"I'll get your things," Tupac offered as he quickly got to his feet and began gathering up their things.

"Did you and Bonnie really think this fruit would survive your trip back home?" Tupac asked incredulously, squinting his eyes at Damon.

Damon narrowed his eyes and twisted his lip up in thought. Tupac laughed.

Damon shoveled a hand under Bonnie's legs and gripped her tightly around the back as he got to his feet. Zinnia placed Bonnie's head against his shoulder.

"Thank you," he said, then offered her a timid smile.

"I want her to be comfortable," Zinnia replied, then smiled back at him as she lovingly stroked Bonnie's hair.

They strolled leisurely through the woods, not saying a word.

Zinnia looked at Tupac, who was struggling with Damon's and Bonnie's large bags. He was grunting and beads of sweat had formed on his forehead as he constantly stopped to readjust the straps on his shoulders.

Zinnia patted him on the arm, halting him in his tracks. She grabbed two of the bags and swung the straps over her head before winking at her husband.

Tupac smiled at his wife as he reached for her hand. She threaded her fingers through his before kissing him on the cheek.

"I'm proud of you for standing up for what you believe in," he whispered, and Zinnia blushed.

Damon walked a few yards ahead of Zinnia and Tupac.

Damon held tightly to Bonnie as he glanced down at her, then at the trail ahead of him, periodically. He began to wonder what would be next for them. He speculated that she would try to use her magic to end her pregnancy since she was unable to get them back home.

He squeezed his eyelids shut and began to tremble with fear and worry at the thought of what she might do to herself and their baby.

The sun was setting and a long, reddish, orange array trailed across the sky. Bonnie was beginning to come to in Damon's arms. The last light of the day beamed in her face, forcing her to peel open her eyes to see Damon carrying her through the woods.

He slowly lowered his gaze to her. It was as if he could feel her eyes on him somehow. Bonnie hurriedly closed her eyes. She didn't want to be made to walk so she pretended to still be out.

Damon looked at her for a spell before kissing her forehead. The kiss caused chills to run up and down her spine as his cool lips lingered against her warm skin.

Bonnie took in the scent of Damon as she lay snuggled against his chest. The gentle rocking of his body as he walked through the woods was relaxing to her, and she thoroughly enjoyed when Damon talked. The slight tremor in his chest when he spoke was a major turn on for her. She was suddenly feeling a bit horny.

"I'll get the door," Zinnia rushed out before darting to the entrance and opening it for Damon to carry Bonnie inside.

"Thank you, and Zinnia, do you mind bringing me a wet towel to wipe her face?"

"Sure," she replied, then smiled sweetly at him.

Damon slowly carried Bonnie to the bedroom. He laid her down on the bed and covered her with the thin red throw.

Bonnie continued to pretend that she was passed out. She enjoyed being pampered.

After covering Bonnie with the throw, Damon stared at her as he ran his fingers through her hair. Bonnie wasn't all that surprised by his loving attention, but she was however, surprised that he was still so loving to her after what had happened.

She was actually feeling relieved that her plans of going home had been thwarted. She knew once she returned home that Damon would take one look at Elena Gilbert and fall back in love with her, and he would forget all about her and everything that they had gone through since being here on New Earth.

Though Damon had proven to her time and time again that he truly loved her, Bonnie still couldn't allow herself to simply give in to Damon. She still couldn't let go of the past and all the things that Damon had done to win Elena's love.

This was one of the many reasons that made her decide to end her pregnancy. She didn't want to be the villain, but that's what Elena, Stefan, and all the others would have made her out to be If she hooked up with Damon. Bonnie believed the worst about her friends. She wondered how she could think so low of them. Perhaps it was the fact that none of them ever really put her first.

With Elena and Caroline, it was always about a guy, and with the fellows, she seemed to never cross their minds unless they needed something. Jeremy was the only one who seemed to truly care about her, but she figured that would all change once she came back home with Damon's child.

Bonnie was shaken from her thoughts when she heard the wood flooring squeak.

"Damon, here's a warm towel," Zinnia whispered as she entered the room.

"Thanks."

Damon sat down on the side of the bed and gently wiped the blood away from Bonnie's face. The towel was warm, which pleasantly surprised Bonnie. She figured Zinnia must have flashed home and back to get it that way.

Damon lovingly wiped the blood away from her mouth before folding the towel and wiping her entire face. He gripped her gently by the chin and lifted her head so that he could wipe her face in its entirety.

He smiled sweetly down at her as he watched her sleep. Bonnie was so beautiful to him when she slept. Damon sat on the side of the bed for a moment longer before kissing her on the forehead and leaving the room.

Bonnie heard the floor squeak, again, as Damon walked across the room. She was missing his touch already. She wanted to call him back so that he could pamper her some more. Bonnie opened her eyes, turned on her back, and rested her fisted hand against her temple.

She could see the room getting brighter as candles were being lit. Zinnia was walking to and fro, helping Damon to empty their bags and clear away their things. Bonnie watched their shadows until her eyelids were too heavy.

Her magic had completely exhausted her, but she still tried to fight her sleep. She had to know what Zinnia and Tupac thought of her now that her opinion about abortion was different from theirs. She also figured that they would hate her for being so willingly ready to walk away from them, knowing that they needed her now more than ever.

In the other room, Damon was removing Mr. Cuddles from the bag. He sat down and Tupac sat down across from him, linking his hands together on top of the table.

"Would you two like a drink?" Zinnia asked.

Damon looked at her and nodded as well as Tupac.

Zinnia flashed out of the house, leaving them alone.

"So, do you want to talk about what happened?"

Damon continued to look at the bear with a scrutinizing gaze as he fiddled with its ears and nose.

"How big are the bears here on your planet?" Damon asked in the hopes that his question would take the attention off of him and what had just transpired in the woods.

"You don't want to know. Trust me."

Damon laughed softly at Tupac's statement. "Have you ever killed one?"

"No, I've never killed a bear. I've seen one. They're not aggressive beasts. Just make sure you keep your distance; never make eye contact, and whatever you do… don't run," Tupac replied, then smiled before looking down at the stuffed animal. "You bought the bear for the baby?"

Damon exhaled. "Uh, yeah and no. I thought it would help her once the baby, uh, once the baby…" he trailed off. He couldn't bring himself to mention the death of his baby.

"You don't have to worry about your baby anymore, Damon. Everything will be fine," Tupac stated surely.

"I hope you're right. Bonnie can be pretty stubborn. She seems determined to end this pregnancy," Damon answered as he flashed Tupac a somber look.

"Even if she wanted to terminate her pregnancy, she wouldn't be allowed to do it here," Zinnia responded as she came strolling back in to the house.

"I curse the Gods for giving her vampire hearing," Tupac mumbled, and they all shared a short laugh.

"Have you thought about baby names?" Zinnia asked as she gathered up cups to pour them some liquor.

Damon laughed. "It's kind of hard to think of baby names when you think there's no baby."

Zinnia and Tupac gave him a somber look.

"I get that Bonnie loves her friends. They were there for her when her family wasn't, but I want the baby and me to be her family, now," he paused as he looked at Zinnia and Tupac.

"I thought that she loved me enough to care about my feelings, too; you know. She's always so willing to die and sacrifice her own happiness for them, but this baby is mine, too. I guess my feelings shouldn't matter," Damon explained glommily. "Well, I did try to kill her once," he said teasingly, then laughed.

"Nooo, you tried to kill Bonnie?" Zinnia asked in disbelief.

"Not really. My brother was there. He would have never let me kill her," Damon explained animatedly.

Tupac slightly smiled at Damon's response. Zinnia leaned against the counter, shaking her head.

"Damon, have you told Bonnie exactly how you feel?" Zinnia asked.

"No. I didn't want to guilt trip her into keeping the baby. I can't be selfish with her."

"Bonnie loves you, Damon. You should tell her how you feel. I'm sure it will help her to understand how important you and the baby are to her."

Damon looked at Zinnia with a contemplative look in his eyes before looking back down at the stuffed animal.

An awkward silence fell between them as Damon looked intensely at the bear. Zinnia and Tupac looked worriedly at him.

"Well, if you and Bonnie have a boy, you should name him after me," Tupac said, in the hopes that his comment would lighten the tension that filled the room.

"Uh, that's not going to happen," Damon replied. They all laughed, again.

"I do like the name Talisa for a girl," Damon said, then took a sip of his drink. He placed the cup on the table, then looked affectionately at the bear as he tinkered with its arms.

"Ahh, that's a beautiful name. I can't wait to make little booties for your beautiful baby." Zinnia said as she gathered up some food to make dinner.

Damon smiled in response to Zinnia's comment.

"Well, congratulations, Damon," Tupac said, patting him on the back.

Damon looked at his friend unsurely, but Tupac had turned his attention to his drink, not seeing the hesitant look in Damon's eyes. Tupac downed the rest of his liquor, then got up from the table to pour himself another one.

Damon couldn't help but fear the worst, even though everything was going in his favor.

Back in the bedroom, Damon's words had Bonnie completely wired. She lay in bed fighting back her tears. Even though she knew how it hurt Damon that she was ending her pregnancy, the realization of his feelings didn't fully sink into her awareness until she heard his speech to Zinnia and Tupac.

That awful, dreaded, angry feeling Bonnie felt towards herself the day before was back in a massive way.

::::::

"Oh, my God, he's dead," Caroline cried through the words as she clung to Stefan for dear life.

"No, it can't be," Lucy whispered in horror.

"Stefan? Stefan?" Elena called.

Tyler and Matt began to cry. Alaric hung his head low, and Jeremy walked over to the entrance and propped his head up against the wall.

Klaus glowered at Caroline as she cried over Stefan's body. He should have known that she was in love with Stefan. He was angry with himself for not seeing it sooner.

Enzo couldn't believe what was happening before his very eyes. He was the only one who still believed that they could save Damon, so seeing Stefan die before Damon came home was a bitter sweet moment for him.

"I'm sorry, Tyler," Melissa said through her light sobbing as she gently rubbed his back.

"Why hasn't his skin turned to stone?" Lucy asked, a skeptical look in her eyes. "Melissa, Casey, help me," she rushed out, then ran over to Stefan's body.

"Excuse me," Casey said to Caroline.

"No, I'm not leaving him!" Caroline screamed hysterically.

"Caroline! Stop this!" Rick yelled, then flashed over to her. He grabbed her by the shoulders, then pulled her out the way.

"No! No!" Caroline yelled.

"They're trying to save his life!" Alaric yelled into her face after flashing her around to him.

Caroline quickly sobered.

"Can you save him?" Elena rushed out, a devastated look in her eyes.

"I'm going to try," Lucy replied, then began to chant. She recited the same spell as she did when she sent Bonnie and Damon the message in the silver box. She had no clue where Stefan would go but she hoped that somehow he would end up where Bonnie and Damon were. It was a long shot in the dark, especially since they had not heard back from Damon and Bonnie.

Lucy realized they could be dead but in this moment, she chose to have faith.

Stefan's skin was still flushed, indicating that he wasn't yet dead.

Lucy passionately chanted her magical mantra along with the others. They finally succeeded in getting the portal to open but it still was not wide enough to send Stefan's body through.

As time ticked on, they began to bleed from their noses. Their bodies were fatigued but they continued to chant.

"Don't give up," Tyler said. He was beginning to panic.

The portal began to open wider, finally. Tyler and Alaric smiled at seeing the gateway widen.

Stefan's body began to levitate as the gravitational pull from the portal lightly pulled at his frame. A burst of light exploded from the gateway and grabbed hold of Stefan. Elena flashed to his leg and firmly clutched him.

"You bitch!" Caroline yelled as she flashed to Stefan's other leg, gripping it for dear life.

The three of them got sucked up into the portal before it finally collapsed. Lucy, Casey, and Melissa passed out, and the others quickly came to their rescue.

"Where did they go?!" Jeremy shouted in disbelief.

"What the hell," Klaus whispered in horror.

:::::

Stefan began to come to. He tried to open his eyes, but a great force was pushing against them. He then tried to open his mouth, but he couldn't part his lips.

_Am I moving?_ _Oh, God. I am moving._

As Stefan moved at the speed of light through the portal, he could feel extreme sensations of cold and hot. He could tell when it got brighter and extremely dark. Stefan began to wonder if he were dead. He had always assumed that death was nothing.

_Oh, my God. Did Lucy send me through the portal? My brother. Damon has to be there_, his mind rattled on.

Stefan began to feel annoyed with his current state. He was ready to land, to place his feet down on solid ground. He was ready to open his eyes and see his surroundings.

Moments later, Stefan got his wish. The gateway spit him out onto New Earth and then it quickly collapsed in on itself. Stefan's knee hit the ground hard, shattering it upon impact. The hit provoked a yelp but it was quickly snuffed out when Stefan's face collided with the ground.

His body continued to violently tumble down the hill. Ironically, down the same hill that Damon had traveled when he first landed on New Earth.

Stefan's body had finally made it to the bottom of the hill. He immediately grabbed his knee as he balled up on the ground.

"Ahhh! Ah, God!" he yelled as he held tightly to his rapidly healing injury.

Once Stefan was fully healed, he flashed to his feet and looked around him. He turned on his vampire hearing and immediately heard the same waterfall as Damon did. He flashed in that direction of the sound of water. He ran and he ran but still he couldn't find the waterfall. He then looked out into the distance, noticing a mountain. He looked up at the sky.

"Whoa," he said in regards to the large blue sun hanging in the atmosphere.

As Stefan stood around, listening to the sounds of nature, he began to feel hunger come over him. Whilst he was sick from the werewolf bite, he couldn't feed. Everything he ate, he threw up. Stefan shot his gaze to the thicket. He could hear loud snarling and growling off in the distance. Whatever it was in the woods, it was something that he didn't want to encounter.

Stefan took off again in the opposite direction of the loud snarling. He decided to head in the direction of the mountain, but just like back on his Earth, the mountain always seemed closer than it really was.

After running through the woods for well over an hour, Stefan could no longer ignore his hunger. Finding a place to lay his head would have to wait, for now. He began to hunt around the woods for food, and also like Damon, Stefan had a hard time finding animals in which to feed upon. He searched the area for almost five hours. The sun had finally set upon him.

Stefan dragged himself to the tree and drifted down to the ground. He looked carefully at his surroundings with his vampire vision. His eyes widened in amazement when he saw a pile of small branches, sitting in heap that looked like they had been set afire. He got up and walked slowly over to the pile of ash.

"This was someone's campsite," he said, astounded by his findings.

Stefan studied the campsite a little while longer before going back over to the tree which would be his bed for the night.

"Damon, please be here," Stefan whispered, then looked up at the sky. He smiled when he saw the three beautiful moons. As he looked up at the sky he began to feel hope.

"Damon, Bonnie, you're here somewhere. I know you are."

::::::

Bonnie managed to fall asleep despite her guilty, nagging conscious about what she had done to Damon. She squinted as she looked out the window at the beautiful day. Every day on Gardenia was beautiful and each new day seemed to top the one before it, no matter if it was raining or not.

Bonnie turned her gaze to the door. She could hear Damon piddling around in the kitchen. She smiled when she heard him grunting and loudly mumbling as he shuffled around the room. Bonnie slowly rose from the bed. She rested one foot on the floor and stretched her other leg out across the bed as she propped herself up with her hands.

She looked down at her belly, expecting for it to be bigger than the day before. She ran her hand over her tummy and gently massaged it. She closed her eyes. Her mind went back to when she and Damon made love by the creek. Her libido throbbed and her stomach tingled as she tried to remember how he felt inside of her.

_This is Damon's baby, too,_ she thought. Bonnie began to replay in her mind what he had shared with Zinnia and Tupac.

It dawned on her how selfish her choice was.

Though it was her body, hers to do with as she pleased, her decision affected more than just her.

Bonnie exhaled, opened her eyes, and looked at the entrance. She stared at it for a spell before slowly getting out of bed.

She walked to the doorway and watched Damon carry a bucket of water to the bathroom. She smiled. Bonnie had some idea who he was making the hot bath for.

Damon entered the room, the empty pail in hand. He raced Bonnie an intensive gaze as he licked his lips with the tip of his tongue. He was topless and in his jeans. The beads of sweat on his chest made it glisten. Bonnie subconsciously ran her hand slowly over the back of her neck as she looked lustfully at him.

"Morning. Well, afternoon," he said huskily, then grinned.

"Morning," Bonnie timidly greeted him. She nervously rubbed her hands together in front of her as she tried to hold Damon's gaze.

"Is the bath for me?" Bonnie asked tentatively.

"No, it's for me. You can make your own bath. Right?" Damon's eyes thinned as he gave her a serious look.

"Oh. Okay. Yeah," Bonnie answered hesitantly, then walked over to Damon. She held out her hand, reaching for the pail.

Damon held it out to her. Bonnie reached for the pail, and to her surprise, he snatched it away.

Bonnie giggled, and Damon presented her with a smoldering glance.

"You're such a joker."

"Who says I'm joking?" he taunted.

"Me," Bonnie said, giving him a seductive look.

"Yeah, it's for you. Go take a bath, and brush your teeth; get rid of that morning breath."

"Hey!" Bonnie squealed, covering her mouth before rushing off to the bathroom.

Damon slapped her on the ass before she got through the door.

"Hey!" she squealed, again, then slammed the door behind her.

While Bonnie took her shower and got ready for the day, Damon cooked for her. He really enjoyed making food for Bonnie. It had become one of his favorite things to do for her.

A half an hour later, Bonnie exited the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her body. Her shoulders and legs glistened due to the droplets of water that she didn't bother to dry off. Her hair was swept up in a whimsical ponytail with a few wild and wet strands that clung to her moistened skin at the back of her neck.

Damon turned to the fresh scents drifting from the bathroom, only to see Bonnie standing there before him, looking enchantingly beautiful. He stood frozen, staring at her with wide blue eyes, beaming as he practically stared a hole into her towel.

"God, you are so beautiful," he said hypnotically.

Bonnie flashed him the most engaging smile. His words had her practically glowing. It was the second time in two days that she had stolen his heart with her beauty.

"You're beautifuller," Bonnie flubbed. "Oh, God, did I just say beautifuller?" she asked, astounded by her words. Damon had her completely flabbergasted.

"Yes. I believe you did." Damon waggled his brow at her.

"Oh, my God," Bonnie said, then slapped her forehead out of embarrassment. Damon laughed hysterically at her.

"Oh, don't be embarrassed, Bon Bon. I'm a pretty dashing fellow," he responded, then winked.

"You are so full of yourself." She shook her head at him before heading to the bedroom.

"Where are you going?"

"To put on some clothes!"

"You don't need clothes! This is Gardenia! Walking around half naked is a necessity!" Damon shouted.

Bonnie entered the kitchen a half an hour later with a sour look on her face. She was wearing the red throw for a skirt and a halter top. The halter along with her bulging belly made her look like baby Huey.

Damon widened, then narrowed his eyes, confused as she entered the room, but he dared not say a word. The day started off great and he didn't want to ruin it by making fun of Bonnie's attire.

Bonnie looked at Damon who was looking at her. "Don't you dare," she warned.

Damon held up his hands in defense.

"Are you ready to eat?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered dryly as she sat down at the table.

Damon placed her food in front of her before sitting down. Sitting at the kitchen table and eating together was routine for them, and they loved it; though they never told each other how they felt. They ate in silence, not mentioning the big day they had before.

Damon felt like if he didn't mention the baby that Bonnie would forget all about the fact that she was pregnant and have the baby. It was what he hoped would happen anyway.

Bonnie on the other hand, wanted to talk about the baby, but she was feeling quite bashful about talking to Damon about their situation. She had agreed to kill her own child and now she was embarrassed.

Bonnie put down her utensil and exhaled as a guilt-ridden look covered her face. Damon looked worriedly at her before swallowing the food in his mouth, whole. It slightly hurt as he swallowed the un-chewed food and the lump in his throat all at once, but he couldn't help but feel that Bonnie was about to hit him with more bad news.

"Damon."

"Ye… ye… yeah," he stammered, squeaking out the words with his eyes like saucers.

"I heard your conversation with Zinnia and Tupac. I wish you had told me how you truly felt? I knew you were hurt about the baby, but I guess I didn't realize how much."

"…or maybe you knew but you didn't want to see it because you feel like you've betrayed Elena," Damon added.

"I did betray her, Damon."

"…and so did I, but you can't help who you love, Bonnie."

"Don't you love Elena?"

Damon looked down at his tea and ran his thumb over the warm cup as he thought about Bonnie's question.

"I do love Elena, Bonnie, but the way I love her, and the way I love you, is different. My love for her was selfish." He paused. "The night when I learned that Katherine wasn't in the tomb, it hurt me, but when Elena wrapped her arms around me…" Damon trailed off as he looked vacantly down at the table.

"When the woman with Katherine's face wrapped her arms around me, I felt like there was hope for our love," he explained dazedly as he looked at Bonnie.

"At first, I wanted her because she looked like Katherine. I was determined to make one of those Patrova bitches love me the way that they loved Stefan." He produced a crooked grin.

"Over time, I did come to love Elena very much, but after we were together for a while, I realized we had nothing in common. We had great sex which helped to make up for everything else we didn't have, but how long can one use sex to mask the real problems before everything starts to unravel?" he inquired, looking seriously at Bonnie.

"I even made myself believe that if I was with Elena, it would make me a better person, but instead of Elena's ways rubbing off on me, I changed her," Damon stared Bonnie square in the eye.

"I'm scared to be a mom," Bonnie said, breaking the silence.

Damon reached a hand across the table for her to take. Bonnie slowly reached her hand over to his. She slid it over the top of his before Damon firmly gripped her hand.

"So, you think being a mom is scarier than taking down Klaus, Silas, or any other bad ass you've come across?" Damon asked incredulously, then grinned.

"Duh, hell yeah!" Bonnie replied, then laughed, and Damon followed.

They sobered but continued to smile affectionately at one another.

Now that the baby topic was out on the table, Damon felt the courage to ask her the inevitable question, again, and this time he felt more hopeful than he did the day before about her answer.

"So, does this mean you want the baby?" he asked, a worried look in his eyes.

Bonnie looked at him for a spell. She knew her answer would make him happy, but suddenly she didn't want Damon to gloat about her having his baby. She didn't feel worthy of his affection after what she had done. She had ruined their happy moment with her first reaction to the news. She wished that she could go back in time and make it right and do things differently.

"I want my baby," she answered dryly.

Bonnie's nonchalant answer confused Damon. He thought that since they were having a logical and rational conversation about have a child together that things were alright, but her response felt like anything but.

"I realize my response to yours will be somewhat contradicting, but I don't want you to feel like I'm pressuring you to have this baby. Please, do what makes you happy, Bonnie. I will stand by you either way."

"I really want my baby, Damon," she answered, forcing herself to smile.

Damon looked seriously at her. He could tell something was off.

"Okay," Damon replied, pushing his brow into his forehead, then exhaled. He was annoyed with her nonchalant attitude.

Bonnie went back to eating her food. Damon watched her for a tick as he picked at his food. Things got awkward fast between them. They would quickly glance at each other then look away.

"Oh, thank God," Damon exclaimed when he heard a knock at the door. He speedily got up from the table to open the door.

"Damon, Bonnie, you're up. Oh, good," Zinnia rushed out as she entered the house with a large bag in hand.

"Hey," Damon dully greeted.

"Oh, hi," Bonnie welcomed, avoiding eye contact..

"Bonnie, what are you wearing?" Zinnia held up her nose to Bonnie's attire.

"Oh, it's just something I picked out."

"Stand up, let me see you."

Bonnie rolled her eyes as she looked down at her plate. She hoped that Zinnia didn't see her. She then slowly stood so that Zinnia could look her over.

Damon's eyes trailed down Bonnie's, tawny, naked shoulders, then down to her bare tummy.

Zinnia pushed the throw down off her waist, down to her hip to get a better look at Bonnie's baby bump.

Damon slightly grinned at the sight of her pregnant belly.

Bonnie couldn't believe she was allowing Zinnia to be so pushy with her, but deep down, she enjoyed Zinnia's motherly nature. She reminded her slightly of her Grams, and it also helped that she still felt somewhat guilty for tossing Zinnia up against a tree.

Zinnia grabbed Bonnie by the shoulders, then laughed.

"You are definitely going to need what I brought you," Zinnia said cleverly, then rushed to the large bag sitting on the floor. She pulled out nothing but short, halter and slip dresses, some were multi-colored and some not.

Bonnie turned to see Damon's expression as Zinnia pulled out the revealing garments. Damon wiggled his eyes at her as he rocked happily back and forth on his feet, his arms crossed.

"Now, go try these on. I want to see how they fit," Zinnia demanded as she placed a few of the dresses in Bonnie's arms.

Bonnie looked unsurely at Zinnia, then at Damon before going to the bedroom. She began to feel self-conscious, again, as she thought about what Damon would say and how he would react to seeing her in one of the dresses. Though a part of her was shy, and not prepared for his attention, the other part of her couldn't wait for him to gush over her.

Bonnie sifted through the small pile of dresses, searching for that perfect one to model for Damon. She laughed at herself when she thought about what she was doing. Instead of going for the dress that seemed the most comfortable she was actively seeking out the sexiest dress in the pile.

After careful examination, Bonnie decided on an orange halter dress with a dash of golden specks throughout. She removed the throw and took off her halter. She then slowly slid the dress over her toned legs, her rump, her belly, and lastly, over her breasts.

She looked at her reflection, put her hands on her hips, and puckered her lips at herself as she flounced around in front of the mirror. She loved the dress and how perfectly contoured it fit to her body, which left very little to the imagination.

Bonnie sighed deeply before exiting the room, and just as she had hoped, Damon was front and center. He awarded her the same amazed look as he did earlier after she exited her shower.

"Oh, my. You are a ray of sunshine," Zinnia gushed as she placed her hand over her chest. "Oh, look at your pregnant belly. You are so alluring and so curvy," she shook her hips and winked at Bonnie.

"Isn't she beautiful, Damon?"

"She most certainly is," he answered dreamingly.

Bonnie gushed.

"I want to rub your baby bump."

"Surrre," Bonnie replied, then smiled hilariously.

Zinnia looked over at an anxious looking Damon. She couldn't resist the chance at playing match maker.

"Come here, Damon. Come feel your baby."

"Uh, uh," he stuttered, then nervously scratched the back of his head.

He looked at Bonnie, awaiting her approval. She gently waved him over as she offered him an adorable grin.

Damon took a few steps before Zinnia grabbed him and snatched him over to them. She took his hand, and gently placed it on Bonnie's stomach.

Damon and Bonnie looked bashfully at each other while Zinnia gushed. Bonnie held her hands in the air as if she were afraid to enjoy the moment with Damon.

Damon swallowed the lump in his throat as he dazed at her. The move was contagious as her actions mirrored his.

Bonnie began to feel audacious and happy as the mantra of memories of her time with Damon here on New Earth played out in her mind. Being with him was the happiest she had been in a long time.

The most exciting, captivating, and dangerous journey she had ever faced was with him here on New Earth. It wasn't with Jeremy, Elena, or Caroline, it was with Damon.

Bonnie blindly placed her hand over Damon's which was still frozen against her belly.

In this enchanting and inescapable moment, she knew that she was ready to share the journey of parenthood with Damon, too, and it didn't matter what happened in their relationship once they returned to Mystic Falls, whether they were the best of friends or lovers. All she knew is that Damon Salvatore would make a great dad, because he was already a great friend and person to her.

Bonnie looked down at their hands on her baby bump. She gently skated Damon's hand across her stomach. He robotically looked down at their intertwined fingers with a powerful gaze, his mouth partially opened.

Bonnie looked back up at him, a gleaming look in her eyes. "We're going to have a baby," she said softly.

A smile slowly crept across Damon's face. This was the response that he had been wanting from her all along. He was ready to ask her, yet again, the same question that he had asked her twice before.

"You want this baby?"

"With all my heart."

::::::

Stefan was awakened by a sudden torrential down pour, but the rain didn't bother him any as he found himself leisurely strolling through the woods, bare foot, still looking for something, anything to feed on. His hunger seemed insatiable. In fact, he felt stronger since the very moment he landed on the planet. His hearing and vision were clearer. He seemed faster. This planet was wondrous to him.

As Stefan was being taken in by his surroundings, he, like Bonnie and Damon, didn't notice the water pooling up around his ankles as he strolled along.

"Whoa," he said as he looked around the forest floor at the water as it rapidly rose around him.

Stefan instantly sprang to life. He flashed through the woods. His desperation to find a place dry to lay his head and hopefully find something to feed on was now essential.

He flashed through the forests at the speed of sound. He cringed when he saw the bluff ahead. There was no time to stop. He had to keep forging ahead if he planned on making the jump.

Stefan hit the edge of the cliff, hard, propelling his body forward. His legs and arms waved erratically about as he flew through the air. He landed on the other side of the precipice. He hit the ground at an incredible velocity. He balled himself up and rolled across the forest floor until some bushes brought him to a complete stop.

He quickly got to his feet and searched his surroundings before taking off, again. He ran for another half an hour before coming upon the same rock-facing that Bonnie and Damon had run across.

He smiled when he noticed the cave that was built into the crag. He leaped on it and began the long steep climb. His ascent was a battle as he was bare foot and the jagged edges in the rocks cut into his feet, but he endured the incredible pain because the reward of making it to the top was much greater than his sufferings.

Stefan climbed inside the cave; he crawled across the floor on his belly. He was exhausted and his feet were badly injured from the hike. He looked around the grotto as he lay on the ground, hoping that it would be filled with rodents, anything that he could feed on but there he would have no such luck.

Stefan soon passed out from his enervation; he was so exhausted that he didn't even notice Bonnie's and Damon's leaf beds, boulder table, and their hand crafted dishes.

Stefan woke up three hours later. His hunger wouldn't let him sleep any longer than that. He looked down at his feet which were now healed. It was then that he looked around his environment. He looked peculiarly at the thick leafy beds and the boulder table and smiled.

"They were here," he whispered and then smiled.

A little life began to flow into Stefan once again. Now his desire to find Damon and Bonnie slightly edged out his craving for blood.

Throughout the day, Stefan found fruit, no animals, and no more signs of Damon's and Bonnie's presences as he took in the beauty of the land, but he was still hopeful and happy.

"What the hell is that?" Stefan questioned as he finally stumbled upon the first signs of life which was one of the slug creatures. The creature was creeping up a nearby tree.

"Not the most attractive looking animal but blood is blood," he said before flashing to the tree, but the moment he touched the sapling the animal took off.

"What the fuck?!" Stefan questioned in disbelief. "God damn it!"

Stefan took off in the direction of the animal which lead him to the little lake where Bonnie and Damon hung out away from the cave. He beamed at the sight of the crystal, clear water. Unlike Damon, he wasn't as cautions. He ran to the water and dove right into the pond. He swam around in the lake, laughing, and smiling as he took the water into his mouth and washed the dirt away from his face.

As he swam he wished with all his heart that the water was a pool of blood. Stefan's eyes widened. He bcame frightened when he believed that something was lurking in the woods. He looked around the site, carefully when he finally found something that looked quite odd to him.

There by a boulder sat four of the little twig baskets that Damon and Bonnie used to carry things to and from the campsite back to their cave.

He swam quickly to the bank, climbed out of the water, and flashed to the baskets. After noticing the baskets he noticed a pair of male socks sitting on a large rock. They looked as if they had been washed and left there to dry. He picked one of them up and took a whiff. He let out a loud chuckle. The sock held Damon's scent.

Stefan stood up and looked around him with a blissful look in his eyes.

"Damon," he whispered in amazement.

::::::

After Zinnia left, Bonnie and Damon went down to the creek and washed their clothes and did a little shopping in the town square before visiting and having dinner with Tupac and his family.

Over dinner, Tupac told Damon about the mission he wanted him to accompany him on so that he could get more stones for Bonnie to make more day walking rings for his men.

Damon wasn't happy about having to leave Bonnie after having such a breakthrough in his relationship with her, but Tupac's men really needed the stones, so he was stuck between doing what he wanted and doing what was right, which was to leave Bonnie behind.

He then realized something that he hadn't thought of while he was with Elena, absence made the heart grow fonder. It was certainly better than him clinging to Bonnie and rushing her to admit something that she wasn't ready to divulge.

Damon looked over at Bonnie, a powerful and yearning gaze in his eyes as he sat in the chair, his left leg propped up on his right as he twirled his thumb around the rim of his metal cup.

Bonnie had no idea that she was the object of Damon's affections in this moment as she chatted it up and laughed with Zinnia and her children.

Eventually, Bonnie felt his mesmerizing, pale blue eyes on her. She slowly turned her gaze to Damon. Her innocent facial expression immediately turned to one of nostalgia. Bonnie was horny and so was Damon, but Bonnie was determined to withhold her loving from him until they returned home.

She wanted to be sure that whatever hold Elena had on Damon was truly gone, and the only way to know that was for Damon to come face to face with his once great love.

Damon flashed Bonnie an inflammed and fervent glance and inadvertently groped himself as he licked his lips. Bonnie tightened her legs, her core clinched, causing her to be wet between the legs. She flashed Damon a lustful peep and took a hard swallow. It was all she could do to keep from running over to him and jumping his bones.

Damon watched as the muscles in Bonnie's legs tighten. He continued to lick his lips. He had completely tuned Tao, Cheyenne, and Tupac out. He narrowed his eyes at Bonnie and she narrowed her eyes back at him and then nodded.

Damon placed his leg on the floor, his drink on the table, and gently rubbed his mouth. He mindlessly groped himself, again, as he quickly opened and closed his legs, trying to massage out the uncomfortable feeling of his semi-hardness.

"It's getting late. We better go," Damon said.

Bonnie's lustful glances had sent mixed signals to Damon and now he was expecting for Bonnie to rip off his clothes as soon as they entered the house.

Damon rushed to say 'goodbye' to everyone, and Bonnie took her sweet time. He shuffled anxiously on his feet as he waited on Bonnie who had struck up another conversation with Zinnia about the children.

After thirty long minutes, Bonnie was finally done saying goodbye. Damon held the door open for her to exit, he immediately followed. He looked at Bonnie and she looked at him as they stood outside the entrance of Tupac's house smiling senselessly at each other.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Bonnie asked, then adorably grinned.

"Not as much as I'm about to," Damon answered, then wiggled his brow at her. He hurriedly swooped her up into his arms, then flashed her to the house.

Once entering the house, he gently placed Bonnie down on her feet. She grabbed her quickly heaving chest, an amazed look in her eyes.

"Wow. You're in a good mood," she stated.

Damon swooped Bonnie up in his arms, once more, bridal style.

"My life is perfect. I have you. We're having a baby," he announced as he looked straight into her eyes.

Bonnie was rendered speechless. She was happy, too, but she had not yet said that she and Damon were exclusive, but she dare not ruin this wonderful moment with her true feelings either.

"Well, okay," she responded cheerfully. "I better go freshen up."

"Alright," he said, then placed her back down on the ground.

Bonnie hurried off to the washroom. She looked back at a giddy looking Damon with an odd facial expression before closing the door behind her.

Damon zoomed to the bedroom. He lit a few candles, closed the shutters, and turned down the bed. He blew into his hand for a quick breath check, then removed his clothes. He and Bonnie had taken showers before going to dinner so he felt clean.

He grabbed a gardenia from the purple vase on the dresser, then lay down on the bed and covered his chest with the flower. He crossed his legs at the ankles and smiled at the entrance, anticipating Bonnie's arrival.

His penis was now at full mast. He and Bonnie hadn't been together in weeks and on some days, all he could think about was making love to her.

In the bathroom, Bonnie washed her face, brushed her teeth, and freshened up her lady parts. Even though she had no intentions of making love to Damon, she was more aware of how she looked when around him. She made sure to dress a little sexier and to wear perfumes.

She gave herself the once over in the mirror. She smiled, as she was pleased with her appearance. She hurriedly left the bathroom. She looked around the dimly lit living room which was only brightened up from the lights shining in from outside. Bonnie was slightly disappointed as she hoped that Damon would read to her or that they could play some board games.

She slowly walked to the bedroom and gasped once seeing Damon butt naked and all sprawled out on the bed.

"Oh, my God! What the hell are you doing?! Put that thing away! It got me pregnant!" Bonnie shouted seriously.

"Oh, uh, I can explain," Damon answered, surprised. He was embarrassed by her reaction. He was so certain that Bonnie wanted him sexually.

"It's really hot. You're not hot?" he asked as he covered his erect member with the covers.

"I guess," she answered as she flashed him a peculiar look. "Why was the flower laying on your chest?"

"I don't know Bonnie. It fell," Damon answered animatedly.

"It fell? From where?" Bonnie shot him a dubious look.

Damon hopped up from the bed. He made no attempts to cover his naked body. Bonnie closed her eyes as Damon walked by her, lightly brushing her bare shoulder with his as he passed.

Bonnie slowly climbed into bed. She found her eyes wandering in Damon's direction as he placed the flower back in the vase. Her eyes wandered down his perfectly sculptured back, then down to his firm milky buttocks. She suddenly felt the urge to bite one. She closed her eyes, internally shaking the dirty thoughts from her mind.

After straightening the flowers, Damon quickly turned around to Bonnie, his cock still proudly saluting her.

"Damon, please," Bonnie said as she covered her eyes with her hand.

"Oh, Bon Bon, you're pregnant with my child. Stop trying to make this awkward," he said, then flashed her a spirited glance before strutting back over to her.

He blew out the candles and re-opened the shutters, allowing the beautiful moonlight and freash air inside before climbing back into bed, too. Damon lay across the mattress, on his back. He decided to keep his distance. He didn't want Bonnie to be uncomfortable. He laid in bed with one hand on his stomach and the other on the center of the bed.

He slightly wiggled his fingers in the hopes that they would get a feel of Bonnie's nightgown. If he couldn't wrap his arms around her, then he would wrap his hands around anything that belonged to her.

Bonnie hugged up with Mr. Cuddles as she looked out into the dark. She wanted so badly to make love to Damon but she was determined to be a good girl until she returned home.

"Goodnight, Bonnie."

"Goodnight, Damon." Bonnie couldn't stand the thought of Damon not touching her.

_Bonnie, you can cuddle with him. You can resist temptation,_ she thought.

"You haven't fed in a few days," she said, her back to Damon.

He turned his gaze to her. He stared at the back of her head for a moment before smiling. He turned on his side and scooted closer to her. Damon ran his fingers slowly down her naked arm. The move made Bonnie tingle. She closed her eyes and lightly gripped the back of her pillow.

Damon then trailed his fingers down her neck. Bonnie leaned into him and pushed her head deeper into the pillow, exposing more of her neck to him. Damon gently kissed her pulsating vein. He had slight reservations about feeding on Bonnie while she was pregnant, which is why he hadn't been feeding from her everyday like he routinely did.

He pushed all his racing thoughts aside, he couldn't pass up a moment to be near her, to touch her, and to taste her. He slowly opened his mouth and extended his incisors. He bit slowly into her soft, warm flesh. His soft, mauve lips were now flush against her scorching skin. His mouth lightly tugged at her membrane as he gently fed from her.

"Uh, yes, yes," Bonnie panted, lowly as her feet dug into the mattress and she leisurely ran her fingers through the back of his hair.

Damon slowly pulled away from her. He tilted his head back to the ceiling, a bloody grin quickly covered his face. He then licked the blood away from his lips and fangs before biting into his wrist. He turned to Bonnie, whose eyes were already on him. He pushed his bloody wound against her mouth. Bonnie suckled from his wrist as if his blood was heaven to her senses.

"Yes, baby. That's it," Damon whispered as Bonnie licked and sucked on his wound as if it were his throbbing cock.

Bonnie's mouth finally parted ways with his wrist before they quickly met Damon's lips. He kissed his blood away from her lips as he slipped his tongue quickly in and out of her warm mouth.

Damon pressed his engorged cock against her covered ass and feverishly dry humped her.

They bit, sucked, and licked each other's lips as their cool and warm breathes mingled with each other's. Damon broke away from the kiss before kissing and sucking on her neck.

"Oh, God. No, No," Bonnie panted with her eyes closed as Damon continued to kiss her neck and rock his hips against her rump.

"We have to stop, Damon. We have to stop," Bonnie said dazedly as she gently pushed him away from her.

"Okay, okay, okay, okay," Damon answered breathlessly as he quickly laid on his back and looked up at the ceiling.

They both stared up at the ceiling, trying to calm their nerves. Bonnie began to feel sleep coming down on her. She turned on her side to look at Damon. He looked to her, seeing her turned in his direction provoked Damon to do the same.

"Hey," he said, then smiled.

"Hi," Bonnie answered back. She then slowly trailed her fingers up the bed, over his hairy arm, then intertwined her fingers with his.

Damon folded his fingers over her hand and continued to sweetly smile at her.

Bonnie's mind conjured up those three little big words once more.

"Damon, I…" she trailed off, a frighten look in her eyes as she began to tremble.

Damon narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brow. "What is it, Bonnie?" he asked worriedly.

"I…" she trailed off again. "Damn it," she cursed, then lightly chuckled through her light sobbing. "I'm scared," she said, her lips began to quiver.

Damon laughed. He knew exactly what she wanted to say, so he did it for her. "…defying all possible global scenarios, you might love me… a little bit," he said, then winked.

Bonnie giggled like a little girl. She was feeling so emotional about Damon that her magic caused all the candles in the house to kindle.

"See," Damon waved a finger around the room at the candles and flashed her an affectionate smile.

Bonnie let out an exaggerated laugh.

:::::

Two weeks later, Damon found himself up at the crack of dawn, preparing his horse for his trip with Tupac and his men. The last thing he wanted to do was leave Bonnie, but he felt compelled to help the man that he now thought of as his close dear friend.

He looked down at the path leading to his house after hearing Bonnie and Zinnia. It pleased him when he saw Bonnie with his care package in hand. He was finally in a real relationship but with a woman who wasn't ready to declare herself to him.

He secretly hoped that Bonnie would say those three little words to him before he left for what may or may not be a dangerous mission. Even though he felt that their operation would go as planned, one could still never be too sure about anything in life.

"Hello ladies," Damon greeted.

"Hello, Damon," Zinnia greeted back. "Please keep a look out for my husband. Make sure he comes back in one piece."

"I give you my word."

"Thank you. Have a nice journey, Damon," Zinnia said, then left Bonnie and Damon alone.

They watched her as she walked away before looking back at each other.

"What you got there?" Damon asked.

"My blood," Bonnie said, then widened her eyes hilariously. She s handed the pouch over to Damon, smiling.

"I told you I can feed from Tupac."

"No, I want you to have my blood," she said seriously.

Damon smiled at her remark. "I'll be happy to have your blood," he wrapped an arm around Bonnie's waist, pulling her into him.

Bonnie rested her hands flat against his chest and stared desirously into his eyes. Damon sent her a mutual facial expression.

"I'm going to miss you," he said seriously, his strong jaw clicking.

"I don't want you to go, and I never thought I'd feel this way about _you_… of all people," Bonnie teased.

"You're hilarious. Now, give me a kiss," Damon said, in a low, husky and sexy voice.

Bonnie gave him an unsure look. She was no stranger to kissing Damon, but giving him a romantic kiss goodbye would certainly seal their fate as a couple and she wasn't quite ready to do that now. She blasted herself in thought when she thought about what a tease she was being.

"Damon, we can't."

"Bonnie, we can. You're pregnant with my baby. I love you, and when we return home, I'm going to let everyone know how much you mean to me."

Bonnie smiled before lifting herself to him with her toes. She wrapped her arms around Damon's neck and pushed her lips against his. Damon's lips pushed back, ever so sweetly. They pecked one another's lips repeatedly until Tupac's voice disrupted their passionate moment.

"I have to go," Damon said as he rested his forehead against Bonnie's, his eyes closed.

"Stay safe, and come home."

"I will," he replied before gently pulling away. He pecked Bonnie one last time on the lips, then kneeled down and kissed her pregnant belly through her bright yellow slip dress.

"I love you," Damon said one last time as he tightly clutched Bonnie's hand and ran his thumb tenderly over the back of it.

"Okay," Bonnie replied.

_Just say it, Bonnie,_ she blasted herself.

Damon was slightly disappointed that she couldn't say the words back to him but knowing that she did love him was really all he needed, for now.

::::::

**Two weeks earlier in Mystic Falls**

Elena and Caroline grabbed hold of Stefan before being sucked up into the threshold. They traveled through the portal for several moments not able to speak or see their surroundings. Suddenly, things didn't feel quite right to Caroline. She opened and closed her hand. Stefan was no longer in her grasp.

_Elena, that bitch_, she screamed in thought.

_Stefan! Stefan!_ Elena yelled in thought. Stefan was no longer in her clutches and that once great hope she felt of seeing him again in another time and place was immediately crushed. As the horrible feeling of Stefan being separated from them began to sink into their awareness, Caroline and Elena were brutally spit out of the portal and harshly down onto the ground in front of the boarding house.

"Owwww," Caroline moaned in pain.

"What the hell," Elena gasp as she propped herself up. She fitfully looked around, only to find that she was still in Mystic Falls and at the boarding house.

"You bitch! This is all your fault!" Caroline screamed hysterically.

"Mine?" Elena screamed back, then back handed Caroline.

Caroline hit Elena back and before she could catch her bearings, they were both rolling on the ground, pulling at each other's hair and kicking one another.

"Should we break this up?" Matt asked.

"I don't have time for this shit. I need a beer," Alaric said, then walked off.

::::::

Stefan's journey to New Earth was becoming unbearable. He had been here for sixteen days now and he still hadn't found anything to feed on. He had discovered a few animals, but he was sure that the humongous black leopard like creature, the giant bear, and the large ape would kill him before he could even sink his teeth into their furry flesh.

His need for blood had forced him to venture further out, so he had to abandon the lofty cave that he found quite comfortable.

Stefan dragged himself through the woods, his feet were covered in muck, his pajamas were dirty and torn, and his skin was lifeless and grey.

After several hours of searching, Stefan finally lucked up on a gold mine, a town surrounded by a great stone wall.

"Gardenia," he read from the sign above the great wall. "Please be here," Stefan wished as he thought of Damon and Bonnie.

Stefan looked to the grand entrance, seeing loads of people coming and going. He looked down at his attire. He immediately felt discouraged about going through the front door, and then there was also the fact that he was a vampire, so Stefan decided to flash around the back in hopes that there would be another entrance that wasn't being so heavily used.

Once at the back entrance of the town, Stefan immediately caught the scent of human blood.

"Ah, shit. Come on Stefan. Get it together," he whispered after collapsing against the stone wall, but the scent of blood was too unbearable. Stefan pumped his fist and tightly shut his eyes as he tried to get control of his hunger.

His eyes suddenly popped open. They were blood red. The black veins under his eyes began to swim, and his incisors quickly freed themselves. Stefan flashed through the open gate, instantly finding the scent of the blood. He looked at the man's bloody bandage, his chest heaving.

"Mister, are you alright?" the man asked after spotting Stefan.

"Run," Stefan said in a sinister, husky voice.

The man widened his eyes in horror and froze up on the spot.

"Guahhhh!" Stefan roared, then flashed to the man and savagely bit into his neck. He gnawed on the man's throat as he growled and grunted.

"AHHHHH!" the man's wife screamed after rounding the corning and seeing her husband being mauled to death by Stefan.

"Hel… hel… help me! Help me!" the woman let out bloodcurdling scream, mindlessly dropping her groceries to the ground before taken off down the pathway.

"Abena! Abena! What is it?" Zinnia asked as she grabbed the woman quickly by the shoulders, turning her around to her.

"He's killing my husband! He's killing my husband!" Abena chanted frantically.

Zinnia flashed to the woman's house. Bonnie quickly followed.

"Oh, my God! Oh, my God!" Zinnia screamed at the top of her lungs as she looked down at Abena's husband's dismembered body and then at Stefan whose face, chest, and hands were dripping with blood.

"Stefan!" Bonnie shouted in horror as she looked at him with a devastated look in her eyes.

"Bonnie," Stefan whispered through his blood covered lips, his eyes like saucers.


	13. Oblivion: Chapter 13: Affirmation

**A/N:** This chapter has been newly edited, replaced, and some changes have been made. I hope you enjoy!

Thank you all for reading my work and supporting me. Please comment if you can, or want to… LOL!

_**Oblivion Chapter 13: Affirmation Part I **_

"Stefan!" Bonnie shouted in horror.

"Bonnie," Stefan whispered through his blood-laced lips, his eyes like saucers.

"Ahhh!" Zinnia yelled angrily, then lunged for Stefan.

Stefan flashed to a defensive stance. He caught Zinnia by the arms and slung her up against a nearby house.

Zinnia recovered, vamp sped to her feet, and lunged for Stefan, again. She head butted him, punched him several times in the gut, and then kicked him one final time in the stomach, which sent Stefan flying into the barrier of a nearby home.

Stefan shook off the hit, then charged Zinnia. They held each other by the arms, keeping the other from landing blows. Stefan was astounded at how much stronger Zinnia was than him, but he finally got the upper hand after grabbing her by the neck and tossing her back up against the same house as before.

Bonnie watched as they brawled, appalled.

Zinnia recoiled, closed her eyes, and quickly shook off the blow. Her eyes darted quickly around the area, in search of a weapon. She zoomed to a garden tool, breaking it in half, then flashed to Stefan, weapon in hand.

She grunted as she raised the wooden dagger to Stefan, preparing herself to impale him.

"Ahh!" Stefan let out an exaggerated grunt after stopping her mid-swing.

Stefan's limbs trembled as he tried with all his strength to push the dagger away from his chest.

"Die, you bastard," Zinnia said through clenched teeth.

"Bonnie!" Stefan called to her as beads of sweat sprinkled his forehead.

"Zinnia, stop!" Bonnie pleaded.

"Listen. To. Bonnie. Zinnia," he strained, as he pushed back against her.

Zinnia pressed her splintered stake against Stefan's chest with such power that it caused him to drift slowly down to the ground. Just one hard push from her and it would all be over for Stefan.

"Zinnia, please!" Bonnie yelled, again.

"This fucker killed my friend," Zinnia said angrily with moistened eyes, her red hair all over her inflamed face.

Bonnie decided to intervene after seeing that Zinnia wasn't going to give up. She looked at the dagger and concentrated, causing it to turn into ash in Zinnia's grip.

Zinnia looked at her hand unbelievingly, then at Bonnie. Stefan seeing Zinnia distracted, quickly snapped her neck.

"Phew! Thank God!" Stefan shouted in relief before crouching over, his legs spread apart. He rested his hands on his upper legs, his chest heaving from exhaustion.

Bonnie looked angrily at Stefan.

"Thank you. I owe you one," he said, after turning to her, then smiled.

"Sleep," Bonnie whispered through tight lips, a menacing look in her eyes.

"What?" Stefan asked, puzzled as he narrowed his eyes at Bonnie's response. A brief moment later, he passed out.

As soon as his body hit the ground, the guards came rounding the corner with Abena on their heels.

Zinnia's friends carried her home and Bonnie sat at her bedside, waiting for her to come back to life.

Bonnie looked down at Zinnia, worriedly. She hoped that Zinnia wouldn't succeed at killing Stefan. She couldn't let that happen. She had to protect the one thing that Damon had left. Bonnie exhaled. She was in a tough position, and not just with Zinnia and the people of Gardenia, but with her own morality. Stefan killed an innocent man, and here she was wanting to protect him.

It finally occurred to her what a hypocrite she was when it came to her friends back in Mystic Falls. They had all done horrible things, and she had done horrible things in an effort to protect them. Bonnie got up from the chair and walked to the window. She rubbed her arms for comfort as she blankly gazed out at the scenery.

She began to run over a plan in her mind on how to save Stefan. Bonnie thought about blackmailing Zinnia and the people of Gardenia. Since they needed her magic, she could use it as a pawn to get them to free Stefan. She frowned up at her idea. She couldn't do that to the people who had given them a home, money, and clothes.

Bonnie couldn't do that to the people who had made her way of life on New Earth comfortable and bearable. It was now hers and Damon's home away from home.

"Mmm," Zinnia moaned. She grabbed her forehead and slowly lifted herself away from the bed. "That son of bitch broke my neck," she mumbled.

Bonnie pressed her lips together. They curved into her face, marrying her left cheek happily. She turned around to face her friend. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling much better. Well enough to get that bastard that killed Keme," Zinnia said, then hurried to her bedroom entrance.

"That bastard is Damon's brother," Bonnie stated cautiously.

Zinnia turned slowly around, her eyes like saucers. "What did you say?" she asked, astounded.

"The man that killed your friend, Keme. He's Damon's brother."

Zinnia froze. Unlike the vampires of Mystic Falls, Zinnia respected her maker, but Damon's brother had committed the ultimate iniquity against her. She was now stuck in a challenging situation. Stefan took the life of one of her dear friends and Zinnia was not okay with this. She cared deeply for Bonnie and Damon. She didn't want to hurt them, but she couldn't let Stefan's crime go unanswered.

Zinnia walked slowly back to her bed, a troubling look on her face.

"Zinnia," Bonnie called.

"I can't let what your friend did go unpunished, Bonnie."

A grave look covered Bonnie's face. She didn't expect for Zinnia to feel any differently about what she wanted to do to Stefan just because he was Damon's brother, but she did hope that it might encourage her to spare Stefan's life.

"I won't kill Damon's brother, but I can't make any promises on the town's behalf. We have laws," she responded somberly. "The people of Gardenia will want justice. Keme was one of our own. They won't take his death lightly," Zinnia explained, her tone more serious.

Bonnie exhaled. She felt some relief about having more time to think of ways to save Stefan.

::::::

Shing fitfully paced the floor in his chambers, a scowl on his face. It had been almost two months since he had gotten word from Luna on when and how to destroy the inferior human who had wandered into his playing field. He was a very impatient man, so once he made up his mind about something, he was ready to see it through.

Luna casually strolled into his chambers, not an urgent bone in her body. She, unlike Shing, was very patient. She strategically planned her attacks and evil schemes down to the very last gory scene.

She was very worried however, about her new nemesis, Bonnie Bennett. Although she had predicted when and how Bonnie would destroy Shing, she really wasn't so sure that Shing could destroy Bonnie.

Bonnie was able to tap into the natural magic of New Earth in a way that Shing and other wizards had not, and Luna wondered how such an inferior individual who wasn't from their world could do such a thing.

In her vision, she saw Bonnie lying down on the ground, at the brink of death, but Bonnie's magic was protecting her so she could not see Bonnie's future and life force after that moment, and it angered her, but no matter how ugly her little secret, she was still determined to go through with her flawless plan of killing the outlander.

She smiled outwardly because her gift of sight revealed how miserably Bonnie failed at trying to open a portal to return home. She felt exultant at seeing that Bonnie still did not have control over her magic.

For a fleeting moment, Luna mused over why the outlander couldn't control her powers, but categorically, she truly did not care. Bonnie having magic or not wasn't something that weighed heavily on her mind.

Luna was too arrogant to find out the truth about Bonnie Bennett. She made herself believe that not seeing Bonnie's future meant that it was the end of the outlander all together.

Luna finally arrived at Shing's chambers. The guards opened the doors for her to enter. She strolled into his chambers, a sinister grin on her face with her long raven hair draped over her shoulders.

Shing turned his gaze to her. He instantly lost his frown once seeing how beautiful Luna looked as she casually strolled in to the room in her long, sheer, turquoise gown, but Shing didn't allow her looks to keep him enchanted for too long. He shook himself internally from his fleeting, lustful thoughts.

"Where the hell have you been? I've been asking for you for hours," he hissed.

"Calm yourself," she said coolly, in her deep voice. Luna's creepy little smirk, quickly reappeared.

"I cannot tolerate this waiting. While I twiddle my thumbs this outlander grows stronger."

"She has not grown stronger. I've been watching her every move, waiting for the perfect moment for you to strike, and that time is now, and trust me… you will be glad that you've waited because I have new information that will be helpful to you."

"Okay, where is she, and what is this new information?"

"She's in Gardenia. Her name is Bonnie Bennett. She is traveling with a raven-haired man. His blood has special healing qualities, it can make inferior humans, like the Bara, stronger, faster. You'd be wise not to take her or her companion for granted," she warned.

"I don't care about her special friend. I am the greatest wizard that ever walked this Earth. I am a God!" he yelled as he pointed forcefully and demandingly at the ground.

"Of course you are. I am merely keeping you informed. It is better to be prepared, than not. Wouldn't you agree? …and besides, Emerald City needs her King; her one true God," she flattered, batting her eyes at him.

Shing's glowering face softened. His wit was no match for Luna's. "When should I leave?"

"Tomorrow, and I have something for you," Luna pulled out a pouch from her cleavage and handed it to Shing.

He took the pouch and looked at it, his gaze scrutinizing. "What is this?"

"A backup plan."

"I don't need a backup plan. This… _girl__**…**_is no match for me, or is she? What are you hiding from me?" Shing dimmed his eyes at Luna.

"You once asked me how I am able to keep an advantage over my enemies. Well, this is it. I always have a backup plan, and a great wizard such as yourself should be no different. A great leader always has options."

Shing and Luna stared each other square in the eye as Luna's words sank into his awareness. Shing broke their trance first, then opened the pouch to find a shiny black powder inside.

"What do I do with this?"

"If things should go awry, simply blow the powder into the witch's face. It will incapacitate her long enough for you to destroy her," she said, then flashed him a sinister grin. Shing flashed her a mutual expression.

"Good," Shing said, pleased with her gift.

"Now, are you ready to see my thoughts, to see this Bonnie Bennett and her companion?"

Shing nodded. He placed two fingers on Luna's temple as she placed her hands on his massive chiseled chest. He looked anxiously down on her as he shifted nervously on his feet.

"It is okay, my king," she said with a coy smile.

Shing nodded, closed his eyes, and then melded his mind with hers.

::::::

Bonnie waited until later that night to sneak into the jail to visit Stefan. She put the guard to sleep with her magic, then crept around the corner to the entrance once seeing that the watchman was sound asleep.

She exhale, then stepped inside the building. She looked around the dark room with its heavy wooden cells.

The timber holding area couldn't hold Stefan, but Bonnie knew that he would never make a problem for her and Damon by trying to escape (the rippah would though). Bonnie didn't know which Stefan she was about to encounter, but she was prepared in any case.

Whether he was the rippah that had brutally murdered Keme or not, she was still determined to protect him at all cost. Stefan would have to owe Bonnie's loyalty to the fact that he had saved her life a couple of times _and_ that he was Damon's brother.

Bonnie grabbed a candle from off the wall before walking down the narrow hallway. She looked in the empty cells one by one until she finally arrived at Stefan's.

She hit him with a concentrated wave of pain the moment she laid her eyes on him. Bonnie was so vexed with Stefan for killing one of the people of Gardenia that she simply wanted to see him suffer, even if it was short-lived.

She couldn't shake the horrific image of Keme's head, lying not five feet away from his body and Stefan who was drenched in Keme's blood. A tear rolled down Bonnie's cheek. She hurt for Keme and Abena.

She regretted not being there for them, and she hated it even more that Stefan had put her in this terrible position of being so angry with him that she wanted to hurt him in the worse way. She had almost lost her life a few times trying to protect the people of Gardenia, and Stefan was making all of her efforts of doing right by them in vain.

Stefan grabbed his forehead. He hit the floor and cried out in pain.

Bonnie opened the door to the cell with her magic and slowly walked inside. She held her hand over Stefan, commanding his body to rise with her power.

"Ahhh, Bonnie, please," he cried out.

"You're done murdering people, Stefan," she said coldly. "You need to learn to only take what you need."

Bonnie looked penetratingly down at her wrist, a small gash magically appeared. She harshly pushed her wrist against Stefan's mouth.

"Mmm, no," Stefan muttered and violently shook his head.

"Feed."

"No," Stefan protested as his white irises turned a bright shade of red and black veins waved across his face at the scent of her blood.

Bonnie smeared her blood over his lips, then pushed her wrist harshly against them, again, as she stood over his kneeling body, a cold look in her eyes.

"I said… feed!" she yelled.

Stefan wanted to resist but his lust for blood was too overpowering. He savagely bit into Bonnie's wrist.

The sting of Stefan's sharp fangs tearing into her thin flesh elicited a loud yelp. She pressed her eyes tightly together, squeezing out a tear in the process.

Bonnie then looked down at Stefan, glaring when she believed that he had enough of her blood. She hit him with another concentrated wave of pain so great that it caused blood to ooze from Stefan's ears.

He ripped himself away from Bonnie and yelled out as he grabbed his temples.

Bonnie healed herself and made Stefan do it all over again.

"Feed," she commanded.

"No, no, no," Stefan cried as he grabbed a hold of Bonnie's bare legs, squeezing her warm, smooth, skin tightly.

"Don't you want to get better, Stefan?"

He quickly looked up at her, his face childlike and sweaty and his eyes filled with tears.

"NO! Not like this," he fussed.

Bonnie hit him with more pain, forcing him to feed all over again. This went on for an hour. Stefan was weak and Bonnie was somewhat convinced that he would remember this horrific pain that she caused him when he fed on someone longer than he should.

"BONNIE, PLEASE! I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE!" Stefan yelled as he struck the ground with his fist.

"We're done; for now," Bonnie said lowly. She backed up to the cell wall and leaned heavily against it. She too was extremely tired from their exchange. Bonnie massaged her pregnant belly and sighed deeply as she observed Stefan with a piercing gaze.

Stefan was sprawled out on the floor, his chest rapidly rising and falling as he recovered from the pain.

"I'm sorry, Bonnie. I'm so sorry," he said gravely, tears rolling down the side of his face.

"Don't apologize to me. Apologize to these people. Zinnia wants you dead," she spat angrily.

"I know. I didn't want to kill her friend. I had been wandering around this planet for two weeks. There was literally nothing for me to feed on. I was starved, and when I smelt his blood, I couldn't walk away. It called to me; it was heaven," Stefan explained, regretfully. "I'm a monster. I'll never be anything different."

Bonnie began to feel sorry for him, because after all, Stefan wanted to change and be cured of his bloodlust. He wanted to be normal more than anything.

After several moments of resting, Stefan slowly sat up, then looked at Bonnie. He wiped the moisture away from his face. His eyes began to wander from her feet to her head. They quickly traveled back down to her pregnant belly.

He hurriedly got to his feet and stood in the middle of his cell. He looked at Bonnie with wide eyes. He had forgotten all about the terrible pain that he had endured not moments ago by her hands.

"You're pregnant. Is it Jeremy's?"

"No. It's Damon's," she answered tentatively, not sparing him a smile.

"What?" He paused, astonished. "How? When?" he questioned excitedly as he stepped closer to her. He offered Bonnie an innocent grin.

"Since we've been here," Bonnie answered nonchalantly. She still wasn't ready to be friendly with him.

Stefan continued to grin at Bonnie until it dawned on him that his brother wasn't there, too. He suddenly dreaded the worst. He was afraid to ask any more questions, fearing what Bonnie's answer.

"Where… where is Damon?" he asked, apprehensively. He finally built up the courage to ask the inescapable question.

"He's on a mission with Zinnia's husband."

"Oh, thank God," Stefan said in relief as he leaned against the cell door. He rested his elbows on the bar and stared Bonnie square in the eye.

The tension in the room thickened as the audible silence dragged on. Stefan was so nervous with Bonnie's silence that he began to count her heartbeats. He needed to do anything but concentrate on the glaring look in her eyes.

As Stefan looked at Bonnie, her mind was rapidly playing out a plethora of thoughts of everything that was happening and that had happened in her life so far. She was having a baby, and she was falling in love with Damon. Stefan was now here and causing trouble for her and the people of Gardenia, but there was a silver lining to his arrival, Stefan was alive and his brother missed him terribly.

Bonnie knew that Damon would be elated once he laid eyes on his brother, and lately, she wanted Damon to be happy above all else.

Bonnie shook herself internally from her thoughts. She pushed the horrible thing that Stefan had done to Keme to the back of her mind and tried to focus on the fact that her good friend was here and that he was in danger.

"How did you know we were here?" she asked lowly.

"I didn't know," he paused. "Lucy sent a message. She didn't know where it would end up, but she was confident that it would find you and Damon, but I guess it didn't," he explained, then slightly grinned.

"So she sent you in the hopes that you would find us?" Bonnie narrowed her eyes in thought.

"I was dying, that's why she sent me," he answered as he looked blankly down at the arm that Tyler had bitten.

"Dying?" Bonnie looked peculiarly at him.

"Losing Damon wasn't easy on me, so I did the only thing I could to cope with his death," he explained shamefully.

"You turned off your humanity. Why am I not surprised? It still doesn't explain why you were dying."

"Tyler kind of took over the role of protecting the people after you left. He followed me one night and kept me from killing an innocent person. We got into a huge fight afterwards. Our fight triggered his werewolf gene."

"He bit you?" Bonnie asked, surprised.

"Yeah," he answered.

"So Lucy must have performed the same spell from when she sent the message," Bonnie responded, curiously.

"I guess so, but how are we alive?"

Bonnie looked at Stefan in thought. She had been feeling a weird vibe about the planet for some time now, but she never spoke up about her views. Her thoughts about how they were alive were always forgotten because she was so busy trying to keep herself, Damon, and the people of Gardenia alive.

"Don't laugh at what I am about to tell you," she said.

Stefan looked oddly at her, then nodded.

"I think this planet is magic. It's in everything—the food, the animals, the vegetation. This planet brought us back to life. I'm almost sure of it. After eating fruit, Damon was able to procreate," Bonnie said elatedly.

Her smile was contagious as Stefan smiled, too.

"So, uh, you and my brother, huh? Are you in love with him?"

Bonnie immediately lost her smile. She knew that their conversation would end up being about her and Damon sooner or later. Stefan had been all but sentenced to death and here he was asking about hers and Damon's love life.

"There are more important things we need to talk about, like the fact that Zinnia, and probably everyone else in this town, want to kill you."

"I've been alive for one hundred and sixty nine years, Bonnie, and the greatest thing to ever happen to me was falling in love with Elena and now, my brother's unborn child. I'm going to be an uncle. That practically makes me a father," Stefan said happily, sending Bonnie his dreamy trademark grin as he tilted his head to the side.

"Yes, I'm having a baby, but this baby will be a bittersweet gift to Damon if he loses you, so focus, Stefan," Bonnie said sternly.

She was determined to stay on topic; mainly because someone needed to and also because she didn't want Stefan to see how smitten she was with Damon, but Stefan didn't need to see her gush to know that. All he had to do was look down at her hand, rubbing her baby bump to see how enamored she was with his brother.

Stefan had so many questions for Bonnie about hers and Damon's relationship, but ultimately, he had to put those burning questions aside because Bonnie was right. Damon wouldn't truly be happy if he didn't get to share fatherhood with him.

"Okay, you're right, but what can I do? They caught me red-handed, literally. They'll never let me off."

"Maybe I can convince them to let you fight in an Agni Kai," Bonnie announced proudly.

Stefan let out an exaggerated laugh.

"What?" Bonnie asked, confused.

"We're not fire benders, and this isn't Avatar," Stefan said with a chuckle.

"Well, you know what I mean. A duel, a face off."

"Well, as long as I don't have to fight Zinnia. She's strong, _really_ strong," he stated fearfully.

"Yeah, everything on this planet is superior to us. In every way," Bonnie replied worriedly.

"Don't worry. I have a feeling that everything will be okay," Stefan said as he took Bonnie gently by the hand.

Bonnie looked down at Stefan's hand holding hers. Even after the horrible thing that he had done, she was actually happy that he was there. She looked at him and smiled as she tightly gripped his hand and Stefan gripped hers firmly back.

:::::

It took Tupac and his men a full day's journey to get to the mines which were heavily secured by Emerald City guards, but Tupac was ready for battle. He brought along twenty of his strongest soldiers and all of the vampire soldiers with day-walking rings.

Damon crouched behind the bushes, waiting on Tupac's signal. His mind wasn't on the mission. It was back in Gardenia with Bonnie, and on Stefan. He missed his brother terribly, and now that he was having a baby, he longed for his brother even more.

A part of him wanted to go back to Mystic Falls and kidnap his brother and bring him here, to New Earth. Damon wanted his child to know its uncle, and for Stefan to be a part of his child's life, even whilst it was still in the womb. He knew that Stefan would be so proud and happy for him.

Though there were days when he believed that Bonnie was all he needed, it felt good to share his happiness with other people, too, and he desired for his brother to be one of those people.

Stefan was always happy for him. Even when he took the most precious thing in the world away Stefan, he was still happy for him. Unlike Damon, Stefan left town so that he could be happy with Elena.

Well, he tried to leave, but he ended up being captured, locked in a safe, and dumped in a ravine instead, which is where Stefan remained all summer while Damon was having his way, sexually, with Elena.

Damon frowned at what he had done to his brother. Suddenly he didn't feel so wonderful about all the delightful things happening in his life currently.

Even though Damon had done superb things here on New Earth, he still believed he should be punished for all the terrible things that he had done to Stefan, Elena, and all their friends back in Mystic Falls.

Damon closed his eyes, squeezing them tight. He didn't want to think about how horribly he treated his brother anymore. His mind went idle as he hypnotically watched the mines.

Damon's thoughts then lagged off to the day he and Bonnie soaked in the hot tub at the bath house in the town's square. Bonnie made him feel exceptional that day and her naked body was just a bonus.

He smiled as images of Bonnie danced around in his head.

_**Flashback **_

"_So, Damon, are you doing anything special with Bonnie, later? Our annual Lover's Festival starts today," Tupac stated, winking at Bonnie. _

_Bonnie cocked her brow curiously at Tupac. _

_Damon chuckled nervously. Sure, he and Bonnie were more intimate with each other but he didn't believe that Bonnie would allow him to take her to a Lover's Festival. _

"_Yes, Damon! You should take Bonnie," Zinnia chimed._

_Damon chuckled, again. "Bonnie and me are good friends –only," he replied disappointedly. _

_Bonnie flashed him a guilty look, then lowered her head in shame. _

_Damon noticed immediately what an awkward situation he had put her in, so he tried to change the subject. _

"_When was the last time, __**you…**__ took Zinnia out on a date?" Damon asked. _

"_Zinnia and I enjoy alone time and private outings at least two or more times a week, my friend," he answered, wrapping an arm around Zinnia, pulling her into him before sweetly kissing her lips._

"_Tupac and I always make time for one another. It's what keeps us strong and happy. As a matter of fact, we're going to the bath house right now for a hot, naked soak and a massage," Zinnia added sassily as she placed a hand on her hip and batted her lashes at Damon. _

_Damon glowered at her. He was jealous. He wanted to go to the bath house and the Lover's Festival with Bonnie. _

"_Get out," Damon stated rudely, strongly pointing his finger at the door. _

"_What?" Tupac narrowed his eyes oddly at Damon. _

"_I said _out_!"_

"_Damon, don't be rude," Bonnie chastised. _

"_It's okay, Bonnie. He's jealous because he doesn't have anyone to take to the bath house," Tupac smiled evilly at Damon. _

_Damon pushed his bottom lip into his top one, frowning at his friend. He ran to the door and opened it for Tupac and Zinnia. _

"_Oh, Damon, stop being such a baby," Zinnia said, then poked out her bottom lip. _

_Tupac took Zinnia by the hand and led her out. He stopped in front of Damon along the way, a gloating smirk on his face. Damon pushed them out the door and slammed it behind them. _

"_Hey!" Tupac yelled on the other side of the door. _

_Bonnie lightly chuckled at their exchange. _

_Damon marched over to the table and roughly cleared away the dishes. _

"_Damon," Bonnie called, but he didn't speak or spare her a glance._

_Bonnie walked over and stood beside him as he fixed up some water to wash the dishes. His jaw clicked profusely. He was frustrated._

_Bonnie wrapped a warm hand around his arm, caressing him. Damon went from heatedly washing the dishes, to merely wiggling his fingers in the soapy water as his eyes traveled down to where Bonnie's hand was touching him. _

"_Damonnnn," she sang as she nudged him and gave him an adorable smile. _

"_What?" Damon answered rudely, but inside he was giddy. _

"_You've worked so hard around the house. You've been so protective of me and the baby. I think we can use a spa day, or whatever they call it," she said, then laughed. _

"_Are you sure?" he responded, furrowing his brow. _

"_Yeah, why not?" she shrugged. _

_Damon smiled._

_An hour later, Bonnie and Damon sat around in the pleasantly hot bath, naked. _

_Damon sipped on his wine, laid his head back against the tub, his eyes closed, and a slight grin on his face. _

"_Here, let me massage your back," Bonnie offered as she floated over to him. _

_Damon lifted his head, stunned. "Uh, uh, okay," he stuttered. _

_Bonnie slowly and powerfully massaged his strong shoulders. Damon closed his eyes and hummed. _

"_How does that feel?" she asked._

"_Wonderful."_

"_Have you thought about baby names? Well, I know one that you like. Talisa, right? If it's a girl," she replied. _

"_Do you like the name 'Talisa'?" Damon asked. It was hard for him to concentrate because he was so enraptured by Bonnie's naked breasts brushing up against his back as she massaged him. _

"_I love the name."_

_Damon smiled. _

"_I think you're going to be a great dad, Damon. I know I never told you this, but I'm happy you're the father of my child," Bonnie said. _

_Damon hastily turned around to Bonnie, his expression open and bewildered._

"_You, you really mean that?" he asked tentatively. _

"_Yes, out of all my friends, you are the one I trust the most. You're loyal, fun, protective, and passionate," she said, as she placed her hand on his cheek and gently rubbed. _

"_I know things will change for us when we return home, but having your baby means that you will always be a part of my life," she said amorously. _

"_Even if you weren't having my child, I would still be a part of your life, Bonnie. Always know that," Damon replied devotedly. _

_Bonnie smiled lovingly, then wrapped her wet arms around him. _

_Damon looked blankly out into the room, his eyes like saucers as he mindlessly wrapped an arm around her. Bonnie pulled away from him slowly. Damon's arm was now wrapped around her waist and Bonnie's arm was draped over his shoulder. They stared longingly into each other's eyes before drifting into each other._

_Bonnie's lips hovered over his, her warm breath blew against his mouth. Damon closed his eyes, bracing himself for impact. _

_Bonnie planted a chaste kiss. Her lips lingered against his for a spell and then she slowly pulled away, leaving some of the moisture from her kiss behind._

"_Damon, I…" she was cut off. _

"_Is everything to your liking? Can I get you anymore wine?" the attendant inquired._

Damon immediately came back to reality. He wondered if Bonnie was going to confess her love to him that day. He really wanted to kill that attendant for interrupting his profoundly intimate moment with her.

After Bonnie agreed to have his child, things between them went swimmingly.

Their home life was now amazing. Damon stopped hounding Bonnie to be with him. He decided to go with the flow, which allowed Bonnie to be herself and act more natural when around him. Damon's decision to pull back proved to be rewarding.

Bonnie did away with her cautious behavior. There were days when she would snuggle up in his arms and ball up next to him on the couch as Damon read to her. They nestled more, laughed more, and they were more touchy feeling and romantic with one another, too.

Damon was still astounded that Bonnie enjoyed a spa day with him. Remembering the wonderful things she said to him and her wet body after she exited the bath was one of his fonder memories. He could actually feel himself smiling, hard, outwardly in thought of their encounter.

He removed himself from his thoughts briefly to look at his surroundings. He wanted to make sure no one else knew that he was living in his head presently instead of mentally preparing himself for combat.

Damon went back to thinking of his magnificent but somewhat complicated relationship with Bonnie. By all standards they were a couple, a liaison that was not yet consummated. Bonnie was still reluctant to sleep with him but he didn't need to have sex with her to prove that she was perfect for him in every way.

In the last four months, he had gotten to truly know Bonnie and it helped that sex wasn't there to cloud his judgment about her. Damon's relationship with Bonnie was one of the healthiest that he had ever been in, romantic or otherwise.

Damon was brutally pulled from his thoughts when Cheyenne roughly nudged his back. He glared at Cheyenne but quickly regained his composure.

"Tupac is ready," Cheyenne stated sternly.

Damon didn't like to be reprimanded by anyone but Bonnie, but he halfway liked Cheyenne, so he ignored his snippy behavior.

The men began to move stealthily through the woods, getting closer to the mines entrance. Damon's reluctance to accompany Tupac and his men on their mission to procure stones was finally warming up to him. The cloak and dagger stuff gave him a real rush. He was also itching to hurt some of Emerald City's people like they had hurt Tupac's people.

Their task was to kill the guards one by one as to avoid a full out battle. They wanted to raid the mines without interruption. Damon smiled once seeing his opportunity to rip out a heart. He hadn't killed in several weeks. He wondered if he was even capable of killing a man as craftily as he did the night that Tupac and his men were ambushed.

Being with Bonnie had softened him. He felt very domesticated. Though he liked his new way of life, it felt good to snap a neck and rip out a heart every now and again. He needed to be reminded of the fact that he was a supernatural being with special gifts that made him superior to the common man.

Damon crept up behind the large man. His eyes wandered up his foes seven foot frame. He began to feel quite intimidated as he stood inconspicuously behind him. Damon had become so consumed with the man's large stature that he forgot that he had a job to do, and in doing so, he became the target instead.

"Hey!" another guard yelled, alerting his friend to danger.

The man turned around, immediately, spotting Damon.

Damon smiled and then shrugged.

The guard hurriedly grabbed Damon by his neck and lifted him up off the ground.

The man growled as he squeezed Damon's neck.

"Sorry, asshole. I won't be dying today," Damon strained before grabbing the guard by his thumbs and breaking them.

The guard yelled out in pain and freed Damon immediately.

Damon dropped to his feet then ripped out the man's heart. He jumped when he saw a flash of light hit the stone wall near his head.

He was instantly reminded of the other guard that was also present. Damon whirled around. He found himself in a video game-like scenario as he vamp sped to and fro, evading the man's deadly laser beams.

The guard soon grew weary with Damon's tactic. He drew his sword and charged Damon with his blade held high. Damon hit the handle of the other guard's dagger with his foot, sending it popping up into his grasp. He caught the man's arm mid swing, then plunged the dagger deep into his chest.

Damon watched keenly as the man's body fell to the ground. He immediately looked around to see if the coast was clear before he looked blankly back down at the guard.

Damon's eyes widened when he heard voices drawing near. He raced around the cave for a decent place to hide. That decent place was a cart that was equal to hiding behind a curtain with your feet hanging out from underneath.

The mysterious voices went silent but he could still hear the heavy footsteps entering the area.

"Damon, is that you?" a voice called.

Damon rolled his eyes at the sound of Tao's voice. He slowly got to his feet, revealing himself.

"Were you trying to hide?" Tupac asked, then burst into a fit of laughter.

"Ha, ha, funny," Damon answered sarcastically. "Why the hell are you idiots walking around chuckling like a bunch of hens? Shouldn't you be out there securing the place?"

"All is secure. The men are loading up the carts with stones as we speak."

A smirk covered Damon's face.

"You ready for lots of drinking and brotherly bonding before you return home to make love to your woman?" Cheyenne inquired slyly.

"Bring on the booze," Damon grinned. He'd like to be happy to do the latter as well, but going home and nuzzling with Bonnie was just as good as making love to her, he supposed.

:::::

After successfully raiding one of Emerald's City's mines at the break of dawn, Tupac and the group decided to start their journey back home. Once the sun was beginning to set, they stopped for the night and set up camp.

Damon was elated to be so close to Gardenia. They were now only an eight-hour journey away from home, but Damon enjoyed the leisure meandering through the beautiful trails. There were plenty of waterfalls, colorful flowers, trees, and mystical creatures that he was just now discovering.

After building his camp fire and setting up his tent, Damon sat around the fire with Tao, Tupac, Cheyenne, and some of the other men. They drank, had X-rated conversations, and laughed loudly and riotously. Damon occasionally entered and exited the discussions throughout as he had more pressing matters to attend to such as whittling Bonnie a toy.

He decided to not only whittle her a toy but his unborn child as well. Damon had never carved out a piece of wood and made it into anything special a day in his life, but for Bonnie, he would try.

He cut away at the wood with his sharp knife. He had no idea what to make Bonnie and the baby so he decided to make them little blocks and carve out their names on each side of them, and he would add his child's name later. He was sure that Bonnie would be impressed with his simple creation.

Bonnie wasn't hard to please. She was like any other woman in that regard; he was sure that any sweet thing he did for her would be viewed as magnificent.

"Why are you so quiet, Damon?" Tupac asked.

"Yeah, what are you making?" Tao added.

"I'm making toys for Bonnie and the baby."

The men looked at each, then burst into a fit of laughter.

"You call that a toy?" Tao asked incredulously.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I see it's still pick on Damon day."

"We're not picking on you, just your choice of hiding places and your lack of talent," Tupac said, then chuckled; their friends followed.

"Bonnie asked me to whittle her a toy so that's what I'm going to do, so shut the fuck up about it," Damon huffed, then went back to working on his project.

"Here, let me help you," Tao offered as he scooted closer to Damon. He held out his hands in offering.

Damon looked at Tao's hands skeptically.

"Come on, Damon. Don't you want Bonnie to have a cool toy?"

"It will be cool because I'm making it," Damon said cockily, then grinned.

"Tell me what it is that you want to make for her. I will get it started and you can finish it. Deal?"

Damon thought for a minute. He didn't want to relinquish his assignment for Bonnie to Tao. She asked him to make her a toy not someone else, and he really didn't want anyone else to do things for Bonnie but him. Damon exhaled, then rolled his eyes, because at the end of the day he wanted Bonnie to have the best that life had to offer.

"I wanted to carve her out a witch and a vampire, but… that's not going so well," he explained disappointedly, then waggled his brow.

"A witch?"

"Yeah, a witch."

"Witches are just people with power," Tao explained peculiarly.

"Well, where I am from, we have a thing called Halloween where people dress up in costumes, and a witch's costume would consist of a pointy hat and dark clothing. Some witches looked aesthetically pleasing, and some, not so much," Damon explained, then flashed Tao a goofy grin.

"Oh, I get it. You want me to make a little woman with a pointy hat, and a little man with fangs such as yourself?"

"Yes," Damon answered.

"Now, if you don't mind. I still want to make my little block, because I think it's cool, and I know Bonnie will love it, so while you carve out my witch and vampire, I'll make the toy she'll actually love."

Tao laughed. "Okay, it shouldn't take too long to make them. It won't be too elaborate, but I think you will be pleased."

"That's all a man can ask for."

"Why don't you two take off your skirts and come have a drink with the rest of us men," Cheyenne teased and everyone let out an exaggerated laugh at Tao's and Damon's expense.

Damon took a little break from working on his toy and had a few drinks with his friends, but he made sure to finish his gift before turning in for the night. He was also impressed with Tao, who didn't take a break from making the little toys for him. Even whilst Damon was enjoying drinking with the other men, Tao still diligently worked on them.

The men were up at the crack of dawn, even after having only a few hours of sleep. Tupac was happy to have the stones. He was ready to have his army back at full capacity, and Damon, like Tupac, was ready to get back, too, to be with Bonnie. He had been away from her for four full days.

Damon laughed at himself. There were some days where he still couldn't believe that he and Bonnie were at this place in their lives. They were intimate with one another, they shared their deepest fears and greatest joys with each other.

Their relationship was like night and day from where they were months ago. Things between them were so natural that Damon found it unbelievable that he had not found Bonnie much sooner in his life, but then he thought if their relationship had come any sooner, he wouldn't have appreciated her.

When he first arrived in Mystic Falls, he wasn't fit to be in a relationship with anyone, but all of the things that he had gone through with the Scooby Doo gang, the fighting alongside each other, all the heartache and the hits and misses—those things had helped to mold him into a better man.

He was actually satisfied with himself, especially now that he was here on New Earth. He was making unselfish decisions left and right. He was actually doing things that weren't for his benefit and he had never been prouder of himself.

A few hours later they were on the road, on their way home. Damon rode high up on his horse with the goofiest grin on his face, not a care in the world. His friends snickered at him and his bubbly demeanor, but he didn't care because Bonnie Bennett would be waiting for him.


	14. Chapter 14: The Great Judgment Part II

**A/N:** This chapter has been newly edited, replaced, and some changes have been made. I hope you enjoy!

Thank you all for reading my work and supporting me. Please comment if you can, or want to… LOL!

_**Oblivion Chapter 14: Affirmation II**_

Later that afternoon in Gardenia, Zinnia was headed to the town hall chambers to visit with Viho. Even though she was first lady over the town, Tupac left Viho in charge of security, and rightly so, Viho was good at what he did. Zinnia was a little worried about him being in control because he was a stubborn man and it was hard to communicate with him.

Before Zinnia knew that Stefan was Damon's brother, she was ready to rip out his heart and set him on fire, but now she wanted to give Stefan a chance to present his side of what happened. She rolled her eyes at how ridiculous she was being. Zinnia caught Stefan in the act. He was standing over her friend's dead body, his hands, face, and chest bloody; there was no question about his guilt.

_What type of person murders a wonderful human-being like Keme_? She pondered. In her mind there was no justification for what Stefan had done, but she had and needed to protect him because there was too much at stake.

She finally arrived at Viho's chambers which was located at the back of the town hall building. Zinnia pumped her fist and said a quick prayer for courage. She entered Viho's office. She watched as he busily shuffled through scrolls on his desk. She stood looking at the man for several moments before he noticed her.

"Uh, hello, Zinnia," he greeted aloofly.

"Viho, how are you?"

"Not well. I've been receiving visitors all morning about this mysterious man who wandered into our lovely town and murdered one of our citizens," he explained frustratingly.

"That's exactly why I'm here to see you. I know the outlander's name and his kin folk."

Viho snapped his gaze to Zinnia. He narrowed his eyes at her as he rose to his feet.

"You know this man?" he asked as he walked over to her, his eyes still narrowed in confusion.

"He's Damon Salvatore's brother."

Viho tilted his head back to the ceiling, shocked. He placed a hand on his hip and walked back around to his desk to sit. Finding out that the outlander was Damon's brother knocked the wind out of him.

Zinnia felt good about his reaction. She figured that this new revelation would inspire Viho to give Stefan an opportunity to tell his side of the story. It was not Gardenia's policy to hold a trial for any person who was caught in the act of a crime, but still she hoped.

"This puts us in a very difficult position, but…" he trailed off. "We have to uphold the law. The other council members and I have decided to put him to death. Tonight. He will be staked and set afire in the town square. I have to do what's right for our people."

Zinnia's mouth went ajar as her eyes widened in horror. "You and the council made this decision? My husband is the head of the council. You cannot make a huge decision like this without him. I should have been at the meeting in his stead!" Zinnia's disproof became more passionate the more she fussed.

"Your husband put me in charge of security while he's away. Damon's brother came into our town and killed one of our residents. I know Tupac; he'd never let this man get away with murdering one of our own in cold blood!" Viho argued back after getting to his feet.

"No! You don't know my husband. He'd never do this to a friend. He'd give them chance to tell their side of the story and then he'd choose a punishment befitting the crime after hearing all the facts and seeing all the evidence!"

"He decapitated Keme! You and his wife witnessed this! What more evidence do you need? A life for a life. That punishment fits this crime. A man shouldn't be murdered for working out in his yard!"

Zinnia exhaled. In her mind, she knew that Viho was right in his decision, but with all that was going on, she knew that Gardenia needed Damon and Bonnie more than ever, and if they killed Damon's brother Bonnie and Damon would leave them to their own devices. She was sure of this.

"Viho, you're right, but we need Damon and Bonnie, especially Bonnie. Her magic has saved us countless of times. They have done so many wonderful things for our town. We simply cannot lose them. Please, wait for my husband to return," Zinnia pleaded.

"The execution stands. Abena demands that he be punished, and the other people in this town demand that it be done as well. We have no choice."

"Do they know that the outlander is Damon's brother? I am sure if they knew that, they wouldn't be so quick to make that decision, not even Abena would want that if she knew the ramification of this judgment."

"I am done with this discussion, Zinnia," Viho said.

"I hope you sleep well tonight knowing that you have fucked us all," Zinnia said angrily before marching out of his office.

Zinnia marched away from the town hall, glowering.

"Zinnia!" Bonnie shouted.

Zinnia looked around to see Bonnie running towards her. She didn't like to see Bonnie running in her delicate condition.

"Don't run, Bonnie. You're pregnant."

Bonnie stopped running, then began strolling over to Zinnia, who decided to run the rest of the way to her instead.

"Zinnia, hey. I spoke to Stefan, last night. He didn't mean to hurt your friend. He hadn't fed in weeks. He was starving. He suffers from a sickness. His craving for blood is not like yours and Damon's. Isn't there anything that we can do for him?"

Zinnia's lips began to quiver. She couldn't believe her complete turnaround from wanting to kill Stefan to now feeling complete and utter horror at having to tell Bonnie that the council had sentenced him to death.

"Bonnie, the council has come to a decision. They're going to execute Stefan, tonight, in the town square."

Bonnie grabbed her chest. She began to suffocate from fear and the devastation she felt over the council's decision to end her friend's life. She felt that she had failed Stefan and Damon.

"They can't. They can't kill my friend. They can't kill Damon's brother," Bonnie said hysterically.

"Bonnie, I know this is upsetting, but please don't leave Gardenia. We need you."

Bonnie zoned out. She put her focus on how she could save Stefan and alert Damon to their absence because there was no way she and Stefan would stay in Gardenia.

As Bonnie stood there, tuning out her friend, Zinnia became distracted by a loud noise coming from the entrance of the city.

"What was that?" Zinnia whispered in horror.

"What?" Bonnie inquired dazedly as she pulled herself away from her thoughts and turned her gaze in the direction of Zinnia's.

As Zinnia and Bonnie looked to the entrance of the city, a horrifying image began to play out in front of them.

Shing and his colossal soldiers came bursting through their beautiful city. Gardenia guards feebly tried to deflect the enemy only to be tossed aside like rag dolls by Shing's enormous power.

"What the hell?" Zinnia whispered in horror.

"Oh, my God," Bonnie gasp.

Stefan was in his cell, his head propped up on his hand. He slowly rose to his feet at the sound of the loud raucous outside his cell window. He could hear people screaming, crying, and an explosion.

"Are they under attack?" he mumbled as he forcefully wrapped his fingers around the wooden bars.

Bonnie kept a careful eye on Shing as people and guards frantically ran around her. The entire world stopped. No one else existed but her and this giant of a man, sitting on top of his horse; the massive sun was his blazing backdrop.

Shing looked around the city for Bonnie Bennett, whilst his men gutted guards and struck down their women and children.

He finally spotted her. Shing looked at Bonnie threateningly as he slowly came down off his horse. He began to walk towards her.

She was mesmerized by his giant footsteps as they quickly closed the gap between them. Bonnie looked at the man's face. His wrinkled forehead, twisted up lip, and the evil look in his eyes were familiar to her. If finally dawned on Bonnie where she had seen him before, it was in her nightmare.

Bonnie's chest began to rapidly heave. She was in shock. She couldn't believe that her nightmare had come to life.

Shing threw up his hand, hitting Bonnie with a concentrated wave of power.

Bonnie gasped and fell to her knees as she clawed at her chest and neck for air. She grabbed her belly as the muscles in her abdomen stretched, twisted, and burned. The horrific pain radiated from her body to her brain.

Bonnie lifted her trembling hand to her nose. She wiped away the warm liquid, then looked at the crimson fluid. She glowered at the sight of seeing her own blood. Black veins began to swim over Bonnie's face as her dark magic manifested. She slowly got to her feet as she worked through the tremendous pain searing through her.

Shing was bewildered at how strong the tiny woman in front of him was.

Bonnie threw out her hand and sent a wave of pain back at Shing.

"Ahhhh," Shing cried out. His legs buckled beneath him and he dropped to his knees. He began to convulse and bleed from his nose and ears.

He lifted his trembling hand to his ear and wiped away his own blood. He became enraged at seeing his own blood as well. He tried to come back at Bonnie. His resistance was futile, but Shing still tried to fight back. He became angry with Luna. She had betrayed him. She said that he could defeat this inferior humanoid standing before him but he was doing everything but destroy her.

As Bonnie used her powers against Shing, Damon came to mind. She had yet to tell him that she loved him, and she loved him so much. Bonnie didn't want to die without telling Damon that she was in love with him. She instantly became emotional with just the thought of Damon, and when her emotions weren't in check, neither was her magic.

Bonnie began to bleed, yet again, from her nose. She slowly drifted to the ground.

Shing's eyes widened. He was astounded. Just as Luna had predicted, Bonnie was still much too weak to defeat him. He fought through her feeble power and hurriedly got to his feet.

He marched over to Bonnie, glowered down at her, and then flashed her a gloating, sadistic smile before back handing her.

The blow sent Bonnie flying through the air. She hit the side of a building, hard. Her body quickly descended to the ground. Bonnie ignored the pain. She had to focus on protecting her unborn child. She used her magic to soften the blow as her body made impact.

Shing frowned at Bonnie, then marched over to her, again. He grabbed her by the back of her shirt and tossed her across the passageway. Bonnie collided with another building. She was forced to save herself and her unborn child, yet again.

Shing held out his hand, and Bonnie's body went magically sliding across the rough ground, her soft flesh becoming skinned and gashed as she was dragged over to him.

Stefan was still locked inside his cell. He heard the screams of a man, woman, and child. He couldn't sit idle by when he had the power to save these people. He kicked through the wooden bars, freeing himself.

He instantly found the location of the distressed persons who were being attacked once flashing outside. Stefan zoomed over to them. He jumped on the back of one of the large men and savagely snapped their neck.

The warrior fell to the ground, dead. Stefan then entered a face-off with another large soldier. The man grabbed Stefan by the neck and began choking him. Stefan pressed his thumbs into the man's eyes with such force, that he crushed his skull.

"Thank you! Thank you!" the young girl yelled happily after seeing her attackers lying dead on the ground.

Stefan nodded.

Ironically, Viho and his children were the ones that Stefan had saved.

Stefan then heard another person cry out for help. He turned his attention to the frantic voice calling for help. He vamped up, then flashed to the person needing him. As luck would have it, it was Abena.

Stefan watched in horror as the large man pushed Abena to the ground. The guard tried to walk away after leaving Abena injured and on the ground, but she wouldn't let the soldier be. Abena picked up a pitch fork and charged the soldier.

The highly trained man could sense Abena's feeble attempt to try and attack him. Her actions only angered the warrior more. The soldier swiftly turned around, knocking the pitch fork out of her hand before trying to plunge his dagger into Abena's gut. Stefan flashed to the legionnaire. He grabbed the sword, then turned the soldiers own weapon against him.

Stefan pressed the knife against his neck. The warrior's legs buckled underneath him before he fell to his knees, still blocking the knife from entering him. The adrenaline pumping in him and the soldier's strong desire to stay alive fueled his great strength.

"Die," Stefan said through clenched teeth.

Stefan's fight with his opponent played out much like the brawl he had with Zinnia the day before, but Stefan knew that if he didn't kill this man, more Gardenian citizens would die by the soldier's hands, and he couldn't let that happen.

Stefan found a spark of power. He eased up off the dagger in a flash, startling his foe in the process, and then savagely plunged the dagger into his neck just as speedily. Stefan looked deep into his adversaries eyes, watching as his life slipped away. The soldier was finally dead. Stefan let him go and watched as he dead body fell to the ground.

Stefan turned his gaze to Abena who was looking at him with wide, fearful eyes.

"I'm sorry, about your husband. I hope this will help you see that I'm not a bad person," he said remorsefully.

Abena was scared speechless. They looked at one another before the sound of soldiers coming their way frightened them. Abena quickly ran in to her house and Stefan took off.

Whilst Zinnia and Stefan were off being heroes, Bonnie was taking the beating of her life from Shing.

"Is that smoke?" Tao asked in horror as he looked in the direction of their home.

"There's a fire in town!" Cheyenne yelled.

Damon and the others were just within reach of the city. They took off for Gardenia. Damon had this sinking feeling in his gut. He instantly remembered Bonnie's nightmare. He didn't know how he could remember her bad dream but he did, and mainly because it scared her, which scared him, too.

Zinnia and Stefan finally noticed Bonnie and her perilous situation. They both rushed to her aid. Stefan jumped on Shing's back and tried to take a plug out of his neck but the wizard tossed him into a burning building with his powers. Stefan zoomed out of the building, his clothes on fire. He quickly rolled around on the ground, trying to snuff out the flames.

Zinnia charged Shing, next, but he used his power to stop her dead in her tracks. He hit Zinnia with such a crushing blow that it shattered her skull and sent her flying clear across the air.

Shing looked back down at a bloody Bonnie. He picked her up by the neck, lifting her gaze to his.

"You think you can defeat me… girl?" he mocked in his deep baritone voice.

"Please," Bonnie said, spitting out her own blood as she feebly tried to peel his fingers away from her neck. She tried her hardest not to cry but she was in unbearable pain, and she was truly afraid for her unborn child.

"I see you are with child. It's so unfortunate that your child has to die with you," Shing said evilly. He slowly held up his sword, readying it to plunge into Bonnie's heart.

"Please. Not my baby," Bonnie cried, and Shing laughed.

Stefan had finally recovered. He looked at his surroundings, trying to find a weapon. He flashed to a staff, laying eight feet away from him, then to Shing, and plunged the weapon deep into Shing's back.

Shing dropped Bonnie and quickly turned around to Stefan, plunging his sword through Stefan's neck before stumbling back.

Stefan grabbed his profusely bleeding wound and staggered to the ground as he began to bleed out.

Bonnie struggled to get to her feet, her hair all over her head, her clothes torn as blood dripped from her nose, and over her lips.

"SHING!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, her teeth laced with her own blood. "I will defeat you," she said in a weakened voice.

Shing laughed. "Not in this lifetime," he answered as he pulled the pouch from out of his shirt. He hurriedly poured some of the black powder into his hand and blew it into Bonnie's face.

Bonnie screamed and jumped around as the powder stung her eyes and blistered her skin.

Shing then held out his hand, using his powers against Bonnie.

Bonnie's brain began to hemorrhage, but her dark magic churned violently inside of her, protecting her from her opponent's power. Bonnie lifted her hand to Shing, hitting him with a strenuous wave of power, too.

Damon came riding wildly into town. His core trembled at the sight of the large man standing over a bloody and bruised Bonnie.

"Bonnie!" Damon yelled fearfully.

He vamp sped off of his horse and tried coming to Bonnie's rescue.

Shing, seeing the raven haired man that Luna had warned him about, quickly took action. He spotted a staff lying on the ground. The staff began to levitate before flying through the air and striking Damon.

Damon stopped dead in his tracks, an unbelieving look in his eyes. He didn't feel the staff as it ripped through his flesh, but he knew it was there. He slowly looked down at the rod lodged deep in his chest.

"Motherfucker," he said breathlessly, his eyes watered as the searing pain began to travel through his body.

"No. It's not real. It's not real," Bonnie whispered hauntingly.

Damon looked at Bonnie, and she looked at him, her lips quivered as tears welled up in her eyes.

Damon gave her a timid smile, hoping it would comfort her, then fell face first to the ground.

"NOOOO!" Bonnie let out a deafening scream. She crudely grabbed her hair, then crashed to her knees.

While Bonnie was distracted by Damon's possible demise, Shing took this opportunity to end her once and for all, but Monkey Man had other plans for the wizard instead as it came charging up the passage-way, making a beeline for Shing. Monkey Man leaped on Shing and ripped into his neck and back.

Shing let out an earsplitting scream as Monkey Man savagely ripped into his flesh. Shing threw the animal off of him with his magic, then teleported himself to Damon.

Monkey shook off the blow and charged Shing, again.

Shing ripped the staff out of Damon, taking globs of his blood with it, and then transported himself away from Gardenia before Monkey Man could end him.

Tupac and the rest of the men were engaged in battle with the remaining Emerald City soldiers so no one noticed Bonnie as she tried getting to Damon.

"Damon!" she screamed as she looked at his lifeless body lying on the other side of the path.

A sharp pain began to radiate up her back. Bonnie was going into premature labor. Her small figure couldn't withstand Shing's brutal beating.

"No! My baby," she gasped as she tightly clutched her stomach.

Bonnie laid down on the ground and balled up in pain. The realization of what was happening was sinking in. The universe was punishing her for sentencing her child to death. She was losing the baby that she didn't want, and in this moment Bonnie realized that she wanted her child more than anything in the world and that she loved her baby unbelievably. She was determined to not let fate win.

"Monkey Man, bring Damon to me," she demanded, but the animal wouldn't leave Bonnie as it whimpered by her side and stroked her hair.

"Go! Go! You stupid ape! Go!" Bonnie became hysterical and enraged with her animal friend.

"Damon! Damon!" she screamed, again, hoping that her voice would wake him. Bonnie lifted her shaky hand into the air, spelling Damon's body over to her. His lifeless body was finally within reach.

"Damon," she continued to cry as she scooted closer to him. She looked at the gaping hole in his chest through her blurred eyes as she tenderly rubbed his forehead. "God, why! I love him," she whispered, and no one was there to hear her declaration.

Bonnie's focus shifted back to her unborn child as another contraction hit her.

"I won't let our baby die. I promise," she sniffled, then kissed Damon's cold lips.

Bonnie had to think about her baby, now. Damon was gone. She couldn't lose both of them. She leaned into his gaping wound and drank some of his blood.

Several moments later, she physically began to feel better; but emotionally, she was devastated. She didn't know if she would be able to get up, or even live again as she violently cried into the wind.

"Bonnie," Stefan whispered. "Damon," he then called as he crawled over to them, his neck still bleeding.

"He's dead," Bonnie cried through the words.

"No. It can't be," Stefan said painfully. "I don't think it hit his heart. He's healing, see?"

Stefan grabbed Bonnie gently by the wrist. "May I?" he asked as the black veins swam across his face.

Bonnie nodded. He bit into her wrist, taking a little of her blood for himself, and then pushed her wrist to Damon's lips.

Blood dripped from her wound down into Damon's mouth. A few moments had passed when Bonnie felt him suckling on her wrist. She began to chuckle and so did Stefan. Damon became stronger as he siphoned off her blood.

Damon opened his eyes. His mesmerizing, blue eyes beamed at the sight of Bonnie kneeling over him. He took a little more of her blood, sweetly kissed her wrist, and then pulled away from her. He closed and opened his eyes, adjusting his vision. Stefan slowly tilted his head into Damon's view.

Damon widened his eyes in amazement, then rose to a seated position. "Stefan," he gasped. "How am I seeing you right now? Are you real?" he asked dazedly.

"It's me, Damon. It's me," Stefan answered through his light sobbing.

Damon wrapped his arms around his brother and Stefan wrapped his arms around him.

"I missed you so much," Stefan cried through the words.

"…and I missed you," Damon replied as he squeezed his brother tightly to him.

Damon hurriedly let Stefan go and turned his focus to Bonnie. He snatched her up in his grasp and rocked her in his arms. "Are you okay? Is the baby okay?" he asked fearfully as he placed his hand over her baby bump.

"I think we're going to be okay," Bonnie sniffled, then smiled. She placed her hand over Damon's, then leaned into him. He closed his eyes as he buried his lips into her hair, then kissed her.

They held each other for a moment before letting go. "Come on. We have to help the others," Damon suggested as he helped Bonnie to her feet.

"Can you walk?" he asked her. Bonnie nodded.

Damon looked around him. He spotted Zinnia lying on the ground, struggling to come to. He flashed to her side, then helped her to her feet.

"You okay?"

Zinnia nodded. "What about Bonnie?" she asked worriedly.

"She's okay."

"…and where's Tupac?"

"He's here, somewhere."

Stefan and Bonnie walked over, next. Damon looked up at both of them and slightly grinned. He quickly lost his smile as his focus went back to what was happening, now.

"What the hell happened? Who was that guy?" Damon asked agitatedly as he furrowed his brow in confusion.

"You remember the nightmare I told you about? It was him. He's a warlock. He wants me dead because he thinks I'll destroy him," Bonnie explained seriously, a fearful look in her eyes.

"He's a what?" Damon reiterated.

"His name is Shing. He's the ruler of Emerald City. It's been said that he has great power. Maybe he got wind of how powerful Bonnie is and he thinks that she'll destroy him," Zinnia explained gravely as she anxiously shuffled on her feet.

"I don't give a damn who he is. I'm going to kill him," Damon announced coldly.

"Damon, you can't kill him. He's a monster. He's very methodical," Bonnie stated.

"If he's worried about you destroying him, then he can be killed."

"It's too risky, Damon," Bonnie stated sternly, then gave him a fearful look.

They stared at each other. Damon could see the gravity of the situation in Bonnie's flickering green eyes. If she wouldn't let him go after Shing, then he would have to do the thing that he hated most, take Bonnie back home to Mystic Falls.

Damon trailed his fingers down her hair, then cupped her chin with his thumb and finger. He had to protect Bonnie at all cost. No matter what.

"We can't stay here, Bonnie. We have to go back to Mystic Falls. I can't let that crazy fucker get to you."

"No, you can't leave," Zinnia answered hysterically.

"Damon, we can't go home. I have to stay and answer for what I've done," Stefan announced disappointedly.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Damon narrowed his eyes in confusion at Stefan.

Stefan lowered his head, shamefully.

"Stefan," Damon called in frustration. "What the hell happened?"

"Your brother dismembered my friend."

Damon tilted his head back to the heavens, a distraught look on his face. He was so happy when he saw his brother and Bonnie sitting side by side, kneeling over him, but that happiness was quickly ripped away from him.

"So, what are they going to do to my brother?" Damon turned his gaze to Zinnia.

Zinnia didn't have the heart to tell him what the council had decided, but she was actually feeling a bit more hopeful now that her husband was back.

Her hope began to dwindle when she saw Tupac, Viho, Cheyenne, and some of the other council members marching their way. Tupac didn't look happy.

Damon, Bonnie, and Stefan's eyes followed Zinnia's.

"Damon, Bonnie," Tupac greeted before getting to the point. "Is this your brother, Damon?"

"Yes," Damon answered through tight lips.

"Damon, I'm afraid we have to take your brother into custody."

"I can't believe this shit. Your town was just attacked. Dozens of people lying around here dead by your known enemy and all you can focus on is the murder my brother committed," Damon stated angrily.

They all looked dumbfounded around at each other and not even at their falling foe.

"I couldn't agree with you more Damon, but the council is pushing me on the matter. My hands are tied. I have no choice," Tupac answered, annoyed with the situation at hand.

"Okay, you take my brother into custody, and then what?"

"He's been sentenced to death," Viho answered guiltily, then lowered his head in shame.

"What?! You can't just kill him without some kind of trial. What the hell kind of judicial system are you people running?" Damon asked heatedly.

"Don't worry, Damon. No one is dying tonight, but we will need to retain him until we can come to some resolution."

"What the hell do you mean we have to come to a resolution?" Aakesh asked angrily.

"My son has been imprisoned in the town hall for a little over two months and has not been able to adequately provide for his family because you said that he could possibly be a threat to this community. Now this outlander arrives, kills one of our people, and you want to retain him in a wooden cell that he's clearly able to escape from any time he wants. Since when did you become such a hypocrite, Tupac?"

"Bonnie and Damon have saved our lives more times than I can count, and they have helped to fix our fuck ups! It is only fair that we think of another way to punish his brother besides rushing him off to his death!" Tupac spat angrily, his chest heaving.

"I'm sorry, Damon. I know you haven't seen your brother in a while, but we have to lock him up. I promise, I will be fair about this."

"Please, let my brother stay with me until you come to a decision. He'll give you his day-walking ring in his place, and I promise to watch over him."

"I won't let him leave, Tupac. You have my word. I'll spell the house to keep him inside," Bonnie added.

"You can't be really considering their request?" Aakesh yelled, yet again.

"Shut up, Aakesh! I am leader of this town. I know what is best for our people!"

Zinnia smiled at her husband's response.

"Stefan, your ring," Tupac looked seriously at him.

Stefan looked sadly down at his ring for a few seconds before removing it from his finger. He gave Tupac the key to his very survival. Tupac gently took it from his hand, recognizing its importance as he looked over the ring and then stuffed it into his pocket.

"Thank you," Tupac said and then got back down to doing business. "Damon, I need you to oversee the cleanup. I'll escort your brother and Bonnie home. I'll keep them safe."

Damon looked at Tupac, then at his brother and Bonnie. He smiled at them, then nodded, giving his approval. Damon's eyes followed them as Tupac hauled them away. Stefan and Bonnie kept looking back at Damon as if he'd fade away into obscurity. The two most important people were now in his life and he couldn't even enjoy them.

::::::

Stefan and Bonnie did various things around the brightly candle-lit house while they waited for Damon to clear the city of the dead and the Emerald City soldiers.

Stefan helped Bonnie make dinner and with the cleanup afterwards. She didn't speak much as they worked alongside each other. Her mind was heavy with worry about Stefan's dilemma and Shing. The wizard had proven to be an extremely dangerous foe. She wished to not run into him for a second time, but she had a terrible feeling that she would definitely be seeing Shing, again.

Stefan kept trying to engage Bonnie in conversation in the hopes that he could lighten her mood, but his efforts were all in vein.

After Bonnie took her shower, Stefan managed to convince her to play some games with him.

He observed her carefully while they sat on the floor. He hated seeing her so worried.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.

Bonnie looked at him stoically. She didn't mind talking to Stefan about her problems but a big part of her wanted to save that conversation for Damon, so she politely smiled at Stefan, then went back to focusing on the game.

As Bonnie's mind went idle, visions of Damon's lifeless body lying on the ground began to haunt her thoughts. She rested her elbow on the couch and laid her forehead in her hand as she looked vacantly out into the room. Stefan became even more curious about Bonnie's well-being as he observed her weary glassed over daze.

"I found the cave and the lake where I believe you and Damon must have lived when you first arrived."

Bonnie looked at Stefan. She smiled at his statement. "I miss the cave… a little," she said, then let out a short, low chuckle. "Damon and I put a lot of work into that place."

"Yeah, I noticed. I especially enjoyed the leaf beds, the boulder table, and your cups. Using fruit husk to make dishes was pretty ingenious."

Bonnie giggled, again. "Damon used to make me a new twig basket every day. The more he made, the better he got at making them. His baskets became bigger and more elaborate," Bonnie said as she fondly remembered what Damon had done for her.

Stefan smiled sweetly at Bonnie. He found her gushing and fondly remembering his brother, adorable.

"I cannot believe you and my brother are in love and having a baby. He hated you and you hated him. I guess it's true what they say: if you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with," Stefan teased with a light chuckle.

Bonnie immediately lost her glow. Stefan's words cut her deep.

"He was so in love with Elena. I didn't think he was capable of loving anyone the way he loved her. Those two were inseparable."

Stefan's statement fed Bonnie's insecurities. She was already having doubts, and Stefan's words practically cemented her beliefs. Stefan immediately noticed the change in her demeanor.

"Tonight, when we believed Damon was dead, I saw something in him that I've never seen before. When he opened his eyes, he beamed at the sight of you. I've never seen Damon look at anyone with such adoration, not even Elena. He's in love with you, Bonnie," Stefan explained as he shuffled through his cards.

Bonnie's eyes widened as her mouth went ajar. "You really mean that?" she asked, her voice light and hopeful.

"I do, Bonnie," he answered sweetly.

As sure as Stefan's words brought doubt, they gave her hope, as well. A dazzling smile covered her face. Stefan smiled as he rested his hand on her shoulder and gently massaged her.

"Hello, brother," Damon offered Stefan a dashing smile as he entered the house.

Stefan stood up and rested his hands on his hips. He tilted his head to the side and returned his brother's smile.

Bonnie smiled at seeing the brother's come together without all the mayhem.

"I thought I'd never see you again," Stefan said, amazed.

"Well, I knew I'd see you again. Once Bonnie had the baby we were going to return home."

"Wait. What? You and Bonnie could've returned home at any time and you didn't?" Stefan asked in disbelief.

Damon's expression turned regretful.

"Bonnie, did you and Damon get the message that Lucy sent?" Stefan asked, looking her square in the eye.

Bonnie crossed her arms, then guiltily looked down at the floor.

Stefan chuckled as he shook his head.

"Look, I'm sorry, Stefan. I needed to protect Bonnie. She could have sent us home but she still wasn't strong enough, so there was that, too." After opening up his mouth, Damon realized how insensitive his comment was.

Oddly, Stefan wasn't angry. He was actually surprised. He was so sure that once Damon knew that Elena was in trouble he would move heaven and earth to get back home to her. He was itching to ask why until he looked down at Bonnie's pregnant belly.

It wasn't about Elena anymore. It was about Bonnie. He looked at Bonnie then back at Damon. Suddenly, he felt like the third wheel in the room as he watched Bonnie and Damon gaze nostalgically at each other.

"So, where do I sleep, tonight?"

"We have a guest bedroom. It's not much, but it has a large mattress," Damon answered.

"Okay, good. Well, goodnight, you two."

Damon and Stefan embraced once more before Stefan turned in for the night. Damon and Bonnie watched until he closed the door behind him, then they looked back at each other.

"How are you feeling?" Damon questioned as he stepped closer to her. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into him.

Bonnie rested her hands on his chest and gently caressed him. "I'm a little shaken up but I'll be okay."

"No," Damon shook his head. "You're not okay, Bonnie. That asshole did a real number on you," he frowned.

"I will be okay, Damon. I've been through worse," Bonnie said, then chuckled before putting on her best poker face.

Damon narrowed his eyes curiously at her response. He didn't truly believe that she was okay, but he didn't want to push her. He knew that she'd come to him when she was ready.

He began to think about Mystic Falls. He didn't want to go back there, ever, especially now that Stefan was with him, but seeing what a great threat Shing was to Bonnie, and how badly he had assaulted her, returning home was really the best option for them, considering their circumstances.

"As soon as this thing with Stefan is resolved… maybe we should go back to Mystic Falls. You'll be safer there," Damon said disappointedly.

"These people need us. Shing… will come back."

"I know Bonnie, but I have to protect you and our baby."

"I know," she answered somberly. Bonnie wanted to protect her child, too, but she hated that she couldn't protect the people of Gardenia as well.

They stared at one another lovingly, their eyes dancing over each other's faces. Damon was okay with her not professing her love to him, but he really wanted to hear her say those words, tonight.

"I love you, Bonnie, and I'll do whatever it takes to protect you, and our family," he said as he trailed his fingers down her soft, warm cheek. He was hoping that his declaration would inspire her to proclaim her love for him as well.

Bonnie looked at him seriously. Those three little words were on her tongue, but after speaking with Stefan, she felt apprehensive.

Damon smiled. He yearned for his response to lighten Bonnie's mood. She forced out a timid smile, for a fleeting moment, Damon thought that it would be the moment Bonnie declared her love. His hopes were diminished once more.

"It's getting late. It's been a long day and I'm really tired. I should go to bed. Stefan fetched you some hot water for a shower. I'm sure it's good and warm now," she said coolly.

Those weren't the words that Damon wanted to hear, but he supposed it was better to hear her talk about mundane things like her being tired and him needing a shower rather than her announcing that she didn't want anything else to do with him.

"Goodnight. I'll see you in a bit," Damon replied, kissing her cheek goodnight.

"Goodnight," Bonnie watched him walk away. Damon looked back at her before closing the door behind him.

Bonnie stared at the closed door for a beat then went to the bedroom and got into her nightgown. She had already had a shower, and brushed her teeth. She closed the shutters, then blew out all the candles except for two on the wall and the one sitting on the night-side table.

She climbed into bed, laid on her back, and stared dazedly at the ceiling as one hand rested on her pregnant belly.

She closed her eyes, trying to force herself to sleep, but the minute she closed them, images of Damon lying on the ground with a hole in his chest began to haunt her. Her thoughts then drifted off to when she and Shing were battling. She couldn't shake Damon from her mind in that awful moment.

Bonnie regretted not telling Damon that she loved him while she fought with Shing. She didn't want to die knowing that she had not yet confessed to him her true feelings.

She turned over on her side, spotting Mr. Cuddles on her night stand. She smiled at seeing him.

Bonnie closed her eyes, again, a more pleasant memory popped into her mind. It was the day she and Damon first made love.

After the day she had, she longed for something exceptional and loving to happen in her life. She wanted more than to merely hold Damon in her arms. She desired to feel that same closeness to him that she did when they first made love.

Bonnie wanted to wash away that horrible day by fully submerging herself in the one person that made her feel loved and happy when she was feeling down.

She closed her eyes when she heard Damon enter the room. She couldn't figure out for the life of her why she pretended to be asleep. She supposed it would keep Damon from worrying so much about her.

She took in the pleasant and wonderful scents of the soaps and oils on his skin as he lay down beside her. He gently rubbed a foreign entity over her naked arm.

Bonnie turned her head to the object. It was the little block that he had whittled for her.

"What is this?" she asked him curiously.

"You asked me to make you a toy, so I did," he replied.

Bonnie gently took the toy from him and smiled at it. "It's beautiful, Damon," she said as she turned her gaze to his.

"You really like it?"

"I love it, simply because you made it."

Damon smiled adorably. "Good," he answered as he continued to smile affectionately at her.

They stared desirously at one another. The room went completely silent. The sounds of outside seemed louder as the audible silence ticked on. As they lay in bed, Damon began to think about his brother. The council had already sentenced Stefan to death, so he feared the worst. He began to worry that Tupac couldn't get the verdict overturned.

Damon trailed a hand up the bed, intertwining his fingers with Bonnie's before squeezing her hand firmly.

"You're worried about Stefan?" Bonnie asked.

"I've thought about my brother off and on since we've been here, and now we're finally together and they want to take him away from me," he paused. "I cannot believe Stefan wants to stay here and see this thing out. I understand that he wants to clear his conscience, but what about me? I can't let him do it, Bonnie. I can't lose him, not again," Damon explained angrily.

He looked seriously at Bonnie, his jaw clicking.

"It's Stefan's choice," Bonnie stated as she looked him square in the eye.

"It's not fair that I have to respect my brother's choice to die. What about me? What about what I want? I wish that someone would love me enough to want to stick around for me," he stated in frustration, freeing Bonnie's hand as he rolled over onto his back.

"Maybe I don't deserve to be loved," Damon pouted as he looked sourly up at the ceiling.

Bonnie gravitated closer to him. She ran her fingers up his bare chest. Damon swallowed. Her touch made him twitch and tingle internally.

_Bonnie, tell him!_ She demanded of herself.

"I love you enough to stay," Bonnie stated earnestly. She finally found her courage.

Damon quickly turned to her, his eyes like saucers in response to her proclamation.

"I'm sorry I hurt you, and made you wait for me to figure out my true feelings. I didn't mean to tease you."

"No," Damon lightly shook his head. "You didn't. I mean, you did, but that's okay," he replied huskily.

"I love you, Damon. I'm so in love with you that it's driving me crazy. You make me crazy in the best way," she declared, her voice soft and loving as she tenderly caressed his naked, chiseled chest. Bonnie smiled beautifully at him.

A huge weight lifted off of her shoulders after speaking those three little words. Bonnie felt as light as a feather as a warm tingling feeling churned inside of her.

Damon was rendered speechless at hearing Bonnie finally declare her love to him. He knew it all along but it felt good to hear her confess her true feelings as he was starting to have doubts.

She leaned into him and kissed him sweetly on the lips as she trailed her fingers down to his manhood. Her warm touch elicited a moan from Damon's lips as she stroked his cock, summoning it to life.

Bonnie sat up and removed her nightgown. She kissed Damon on his lips, trailed sensual kisses over his chest, and then down to his firm, muscular abdomen.

Damon closed his eyes as Bonnie's soft lips danced over his milky frame. She grabbed his member, gripping it firmly at the base, then tenderly kissed his bulbous head.

Damon opened his eyes and looked down at her. He was surprised by her actions. He'd figured they would try their hand at oral sex sooner or later, but he was glad that it was sooner rather than later.

Bonnie giggled as she placed timid kisses to his veined cock.

"What?" Damon asked in a husky voice as he looked down at her.

"I've never done this before," she answered innocently.

"It's like sucking on a lollipop," Damon teased, waggling his eyes at her.

Bonnie giggled, again. "Okay," she said, then took a deep breath.

Bonnie closed her eyes and wrapped her warm mouth around Damon's semi-erection.

"Oooh," his voice trembled as he intensely watched Bonnie's head move up and down over him.

Slowly, she went. She enjoyed the taste of Damon. She began to move faster, her mouth becoming wetter as his cock quickly exited and entered her mouth. Damon closed his eyes and propped his head up on his hand as he delighted in her loving ministrations.

Bonnie stopped to look up at Damon. He looked curiously down at her as he furrowed his brow.

"Am I doing it right?" she asked.

Damon chuckled softly as he buried his head into the pillow. He then looked back at Bonnie.

"Oh, my God, baby," Damon offered a stoic gaze as he folded his bottom lip between his teeth. "It's perfect."

Bonnie giggled like a little girl. It pleased her knowing that she had wooed Damon, a veteran lover, a former womanizer.

Her lips made love to his engorged shaft several minutes more, bringing Damon to the brink of eruption.

He tenderly caressed her shoulder, signally to her that he wanted her.

Bonnie crawled up his body, laid her warm frame over his cool one before passionately kissing him. She pinned his hands to the bed and slowly caressed his chest with her breasts and erect nipples and his fully erect cock with her warm and slightly bushy slit.

Damon allowed her to go on for several moments before a strong desire came over him to kiss her warm cunt. He wrapped his strong arms around her and planted sweet succulent kisses to them repeatedly before parting her lips with his.

He worked his cool tongue around hers, tasting the spearmint on her lips as he fisted her hair.

Bonnie lightly pulled at his hair as their kiss deepened.

Damon rolled Bonnie over onto her back, then trailed tender kisses down her neck, over her chest, and over her pregnant belly before visiting her lady garden.

Bonnie's eyes widened. She bit her bottom lip as Damon's fingers spread her weeping folds, revealing her already sopping wet center.

She shivered, spreading her legs wider and letting out an exaggerated moan as the tip of Damon's tongue tenderly brushed her pink clit. She stared intensely at him as his head dipped over her. His tongue made love to every part of her precious cunt.

He licked her folds, sucked on her clit, and dipped his tongue into her velvety, warm canal. Damon had wanted his tongue to make love to Bonnie's cunt ever since the day she climbed out of the hot tub, naked. Every moment of the day he remembered how the water glistened all over her sun-kissed, toned body.

Bonnie pointed her toes, moaned, and lightly pulled at Damon's hair as he worked her over. His tongue made love to her until she cried out for something more.

Damon lifted himself up and spread his knees over the bed as he hovered over her. He looked down at her with a desirous and loving look in his eyes. Bonnie spread her legs a little wider and pushed her knees slightly higher as her fingers caressed his hairy, muscular arms.

Damon placed a chaste kiss on her lips as he took hold of his long, engorged cock. He caressed her precious nub with his bulbous tip. Bonnie moaned with anticipation as she closed her eyes and buried her cheek into the pillow. Damon kissed the side of her face sweetly as he dipped the head of his member in and out of her tight, wet, hot sheath.

He looked down at his cock as he pushed himself deeper into her hole. He was finally consummating his relationship with Bonnie Bennett. They were now exclusive, and nothing was going to change that.

Damon rocked his hips slowly over her, massaging her vaginal walls with his huge member as he took her erect nipples into his mouth one by one. He rolled his tongue around them and tenderly suckled as he caressed and squeezed tits. He soon picked up the pace. He vertically drove his rigid cock into Bonnie, eliciting an exaggerated moan from her lips.

Damon fisted the thin sheets and pumped her core madly, his eyes closed. He fucked her like he wanted his entire body inside of her. Bonnie tightened her legs to his waist, taking his powerful and unmerciful thrusts. Feeling her warm thighs brush up against his hips drove Damon insane. Her tight snatch felt like heaven around him. It felt like eons since he had felt her clit run up and down his cock and her wet folds enveloping him.

Bonnie chanted his name as she wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him into her. She squeezed his hard physique to her soft, warm body.

Damon began to passionately suck and kiss her neck as he slowed his pace. He lifted his head moments later.

"I love you," he panted as he looked deep into her mesmerizing, green eyes.

Bonnie smiled. "I love you, too."

Damon smiled. He could hear her tell him she loved him all day.

Bonnie ran her fingers over his firm ass. She lightly scratched, then squeezed it as he vigorously pumped away on top of her. She could feel their souls melding as she squeezed her eyes shut and rotated her hips underneath his. She closed her eyes and held her head stiffly to the side as his long cock effortless glided in and out of her slippery opening.

Damon closed his eyes and held his head stiffly to one side as he honed in on the sweet, suctioning sounds of her cunt.

He called her name lowly as he looked down at her wet core, coating him with its creamy juices.

Damon shifted his focus from watching his cock exit and enter Bonnie to her baby bump. He drifted into her. His hard abdomen and chest were now tenderly brushing up against Bonnie's warm breasts and pregnant belly. Knowing that he had put a baby in Bonnie Bennett turned him on even more.

Damon licked his lips. They felt lonely. He briefly looked at Bonnie's inviting lips before paying them a visit. He pressed his lips to hers and kissed them repeatedly as he closed his lips over her top one, then her bottom one.

He then worked his lips to her cheek, then her neck as he shoveled his arms underneath her back. Bonnie bit her bottom lip as Damon drove harder, slower, and deeper into her. She had completely forgotten about the horrific day she had as they made love.

Somehow Damon always made everything better for her, even before they had become lovers, friends even, he always made things better for her.

"Yes," Bonnie moaned lowly.

A wonderful feeling began to knot up in her core. She wrapped her toned legs over Damon's shapely thighs, gripped his shoulders tightly, and then kissed his left shoulder sweetly as she watched his ass lower and lift in and out of her. She got wetter and wetter at seeing him work her over.

"You feel so good inside of me," she panted as she continued to watch him.

"…and you feel so good around me," he whispered into her neck.

Bonnie smiled as she tilted her head back to the ceiling. The move allowed Damon better access to her slender neck as he continued to kiss and suckle tenderly on her warm skin.

Damon could no longer ignore that painfully wonderful feeling welling up in his abdomen. He began to pump quicker into Bonnie, working his orgasm to the fore.

He quickly pushed himself up but continued to madly pound her slit. His orgasm hit him in waves several moments later. Damon jerked inside Bonnie, then froze on top of her.

"Yes. Fuck," Damon moaned as his sweet nectar flowed into Bonnie.

Bonnie palmed his ass, and pressed her pelvis tightly to his as she erupted around him.

"Oh, shit. Fuck. Yes. Yes. Yes," she darted out, then giggled as she trembled underneath him.

Damon eased on top of her and slowly rode out his release. As he lay inside Bonnie, feeling great ecstasy as she clenched and throbbed around him, he began to think of ways to solidify their relationship and deepen their profound connection.

"Mmm, that was wonderful," Bonnie chimed, her sweet voice was music to Damon's ears as her warm breath tickled the side of his face.

Damon chuckled into Bonnie's neck.

She kissed his cheek sweetly as she ran her fingers through his soft, raven hair with one hand and tenderly rubbed his back with the other.

Damon rose and looked yearningly and deeply into her glistening green eyes. Bonnie looked back at him with complete adoration.

"Marry me?" the words slipped so easily from his lips, no hesitation. Damon knew what he wanted and it only took him a short time to figure out that he wanted Bonnie Bennett, forever.

Bonnie widened her eyes. She was astounded and rendered speechless by his proposal. Her eyes fitfully searched Damon's serious face as he profusely clicked his jaw, waiting for her answer.

"What do you say, Bonnie? Will you marry me?"


	15. Chapter 15: Resolutions

A/N: I apologize for taking so long to upload this story. It's long, I've read over it a lot. I'll read over it, again tomorrow. Hopefully, I will catch more mistakes.

Just a little warning, I can't help but put ghastly scenes in my fanfics… LOL! But there are some mushy ones in here, too. I am a SyFy junkie… LOL!

Please comment. I need the encouragement sometimes. No one ever talks about my stories on tumblr. I always see the more popular ones out there. Maybe I'm just not good enough, yet… LOL!

Much Love!

**Oblivion Chapter 15: Resolutions **

"Marry me?" the words slipped so easily from Damon's lips, no hesitation. He knew what he wanted and it only took him a short time to figure out that he wanted Bonnie Bennett, forever.

Bonnie widened her eyes. She was astounded and rendered speechless by his question. Her eyes fitfully searched Damon's serious face as he profusely clicked his jaw.

"What do you say, Bonnie? Will you marry me?" he asked, still serious.

"Uh. Uh. Uh," she stammered for the words.

Damon smiled at her as he lightly brushed her forehead with his thumb. "I've rendered you speechless, I see," he said, then smiled sweetly at her.

"Yeah, you did." She exhaled, still carefully looking at Damon. "I would love nothing more than to marry you, Damon… But," the words got caught in her throat.

"But… it's too soon. I get it," Damon replied disappointedly.

He kissed Bonnie on her lips, then rolled over onto his side of the bed. He laid on his back with his hands resting on his abdomen as he looked expressionlessly up at the ceiling.

Bonnie rested her hands on her belly and looked worriedly at Damon before rolling over on her side, straddling her arm over his bare chest. She lovingly rubbed his chiseled pecks as she considered what to say to Damon to ease the tenseness between them.

"I love you, Damon. I can't imagine my life without you." She paused. "But I need time to figure out if marriage is what I want, and this has nothing to do with you. It's not you. It's me."

Damon laid motionless, letting her words sink into his awareness. He chuckled, which puzzled Bonnie.

"The old, it's not you, it's me breakup line," Damon replied hilariously as he turned his gaze to Bonnie's. He shook his head and slightly frowned at her.

"Never mind. I knew you wouldn't understand," Bonnie huffed, then snatched herself away from him.

She scooted over to her side of the bed and snatched the covers over her nude body. Damon smiled before taking her into his arms. He squeezed her tightly to him and wildly and repeatedly kissed her cheek with his moist lips.

"Stop it. Stop it," Bonnie said, slightly annoyed, but Damon continued to kiss her cheek, then down her neck, tickling Bonnie.

She squealed and squirmed before letting out an exaggerated chortle as she wriggled in his arms.

"Sh, sh, sh. You're going to wake Stefan." Damon pushed his finger to his lips and lowly chuckled as he tried to silence Bonnie.

They went from being ill-tempered, to giddy, to more serious as Damon delicately took her chin between his finger and thumb, turning Bonnie's gaze to his. "I will give you all the time you need. I don't want to rush you. Marriage is a big step."

Bonnie didn't reply. She looked at him with a wondering and innocent gaze.

They stared enchantingly at each other.

Damon was completely taking by Bonnie's mesmerizing green eyes. He suddenly felt a strong desire to kiss her lips, again, and again, but he was so utterly immersed in Bonnie's glowing beauty as she lay tucked snuggly underneath him that he couldn't break away from their trance.

Bonnie wondrously reached her hand up to Damon and ran her thin fingers down his milky strong jaw. Damon tremored within from her touch. They had just made love, but her touch still set him on fire as if it were the very first time she had touched him.

"I love you, Damon, and I promise that when we return home, I will be your wife, but I have to know…" she trailed off.

Damon narrowed his eyes. A bewildered look covered his face. "What?" he questioned under his breathe.

"It's nothing," Bonnie said, then forced herself to smile. "It's nothing. Go to sleep."

Damon studied her for a tick. Bonnie pecked his lips quickly, turned her back to him, and snuggled closer to his cool body.

Damon pulled the thin sheet over her and cradled Bonnie to him. He looked out into the dimly moonlit room with a meditative gaze. He wondered what Bonnie needed to know before she promised him her hand in marriage.

Whilst Damon pondered over their conversation, Bonnie was also doing the same. She didn't have the heart to tell Damon that she was afraid of how he would react to their new found relationship once they were home, in the same proximity as Elena Gilbert.

She knew better than to have such doubts, but here she was, doubting the strength of their love. Everything in Bonnie told her that she and Damon were unbreakable, but they had not yet faced the final test, the Gilbert's test.

Bonnie was sure that things were over between her and Jeremy, and she didn't feel that they were over because he was a cheater and probably already with someone new. Bonnie knew this because they were not connected, spiritually or emotionally. She began to wonder if she were ever linked to Jeremy.

The adoration she felt for him originally was because he made her feel loved, wanted, and needed. His love came right at the nick of time as most days she felt alone in the world.

Whilst she fought so hard to protect the town from outside predators, her friends were unintentionally fighting against her to protect Elena.

Elena being a doppelganger as well as her involvement with the Salvatore's, always pitted her and Bonnie inadvertently against each other. Those times left Bonnie devastated. Jeremy was her only ally, she believed, and seemingly, the only person who genuinely cared for her then.

Bonnie internally shook herself from her thoughts when she felt Damon's fingers crawl up her arm up to her fingers. He folded his strong hand over hers. A wonderful feeling instantaneously fell over Bonnie, forcing her to close her eyes as a painfully wonderful feeling knotted up in her abdomen. Her child fluttered madly in her belly, and the baby had been motionless since the moment she had laid down until now.

This was it, her confirmation that Damon was the right one for her. As she lay beside him, hands all clammy, butterflies fluttering violently in her stomach, and a throbbing, tingling feeling between her legs, she undoubtedly knew that he was _the one._ Bonnie had never felt this electrified by any man in her life until now.

She was ready to turn around and shout, 'yes' to Damon's marriage proposal, but her no non-sense brain overruled her impulsive heart. The internal struggle between her heart and mind caused Bonnie's body to tense up, and Damon noticed.

"Are you awake?" his low husky voice broke through the quietness of the room.

Damon's cool lips lightly brushed Bonnie's earlobe. The move sent chills up her spine.

"Kind of," she answered dryly.

"You're safe, Bonnie. I won't let anything happen to you, and besides, Stefan's here. We can use him as a distraction while we make a clean get away," Damon joked, then kissed her ear.

Bonnie giggled as she pushed her shoulder into her neck, trying to snuff out the tickling sensation of Damon's cool lips against her skin.

"If something happens to Stefan, you'd lose your mind."

"Yeah, you're right."

"Aren't I always?" she stated.

Damon chuckled. "Goodnight, Bon Bon," he said.

"Goodnight, Damon," Bonnie replied, then smiled.

~ ( - )~

Weeks went by and Elena found herself still trying to cope with the loss of Damon, and now Stefan. She desperately wanted to go to them. Saving Damon and Stefan wreaked havoc on her mind day in and out. It was all she could think about from the moment she woke up from the time she laid down at night. She would even wake during the night with ideas of how she could bring them back to existence.

Elena found herself for the fourth time in one week going back to the Salvatore house to see Lucy in the hopes that there were new developments on how to bring Stefan and Damon home. Oddly, Bonnie was the last person she thought about.

She whipped her SUV into the driveway. She flashed to the front entrance and barged in like she owned the place. Elena frowned when she saw Enzo and Caroline, sitting on the couch looking through ratty old books that she was certain were spells.

Elena was still a little upset at the fact that Stefan had declared his love to Caroline before his forceful departure. She was not at all happy about her friend possibly being in love with her ex, especially one that she had such a deep and profound connection with.

"Hello, love," Enzo greeted after noticing Elena.

"Hey," Elena greeted dryly as she folded her arms over her chest and moseyed over to them. "Where's, Lucy?"

"She went home. She had to check on her house and take care of some personal things," Enzo answered.

"She went home?!" Elena spat.

"Ugh," Caroline grunted as she tilted her head back to the ceiling.

"…and what the hell is that supposed to mean?" Elena asked nastily.

"It means people have lives. There is nothing more Lucy can do. That last spell almost killed her and her friends."

"We wouldn't have let them die! Does she not care about, Bonnie?"

"Now, you're being ridiculous," Caroline shot back.

Enzo stood up, snatching his head like a ping pong ball between Caroline and Elena as they bounced heated remarks off of each other.

"You are so full of it," Elena said, shaking her head at Caroline.

"…and how am I full of it?" Caroline folded her arms over her chest and rolled her eyes at Elena.

"You say you love Stefan, but if you did, you would do whatever it took to get him back." She paused. "You didn't deserve his declaration."

"…and what, you did?" Caroline spat.

"I loved Stefan."

"Yet, you always found your way back into Damon's bed," Caroline answered coldly.

Elena stiffened due to Caroline's remark. "It's not my fault that I have a connection with both of them."

"Oh, wow. You are a real piece of work. Do you really think that Damon and Stefan are going to return home and come chasing after you?"

"Damon, will always love me. He would never give up on me, and Stefan and I are good friends. I will always love him and he will always love me."

"Come on, darlings. You two are friends," Enzo finally interrupted Caroline's and Elena's catty war of words.

"That's a great idea. Come on Enzo, let's get the hell out of here," Caroline spat, then marched towards the front door with Enzo on her heels.

Elena watched as the door shut behind Enzo and Caroline. Her thoughts about her tiff with Caroline drifted off to the conversation she last had with Stefan before he was taken away. She circled slowly in place, scanning the living room for something, for what, she wasn't quite sure.

Elena then flashed upstairs to Damon's room. She looked around the room with a blank look in her eyes. She walked over to a photo of her and Damon, sitting on his bed side table. She looked down at it with a dazed look in her eyes before picking it up. She tried to remember happy times with Damon, but all she came up with were the many times that they had rolled around in his massive king size bed.

She looked down at the bed and ran her fingers across the red comforter. She pictured herself lying on one side of the bed with her back to Damon and him on the other side of the bed with his back to her.

Elena delve deeper into her cognizance, but she couldn't find a time in hers and Damon's romance where they had deep and meaningful conversations or profound exchanges. She recalled their rough kisses, their many breakups, and hate sex, but nothing that would sustain her in her troubling times.

A voided feeling overcame Elena. She thought for sure if she came to Damon's room and looked over his things that she would at least feel a twinkling of happiness, but oddly, nothing.

Elena sat the picture back down on the table before she walked slowly to the exit. She passed over the threshold. She didn't look back. She forged ahead in the direction of Stefan's room as if being guided there by some unknown force.

Once in front of his bedroom door, she froze. A plethora of emotions instantly covered her, weighing her down, making it hard for her to function. She closed her eyes, shaking off the overabundance of feelings and the butterflies that fluttered violently in her abdomen.

She finally found the strength to open the door. She loudly exhaled once inside. Her chest rose and fell slowly as she pushed the invisible wind from her lungs. She broke the enchantment that had befallen her, and walked over to Stefan's dresser. Elena trailed her fingers over the dark wood as she put one foot in front of the other, crossing the floor.

Her fingertips danced over his bottles of cologne, his hair brush, and other inanimate objects that laid on Stefan's dresser. A profound sensation welled up inside of Elena as she stood in the midst of Stefan's things. She recognized feelings that she hadn't felt in a long time. She felt warmth, lighthearted, and a faint sense of tranquility.

Elena, then looked over at Stefan's dirty clothes hamper, seeing one of his t-shirts laying on top. She smiled, then rushed over to it. She knew it must have held his scent. She gradually bunched the fabric up into her hands before slowly lifting the shirt to her nose. She closed her eyes and took a deep whiff of the garment. Her lips curled up into her cheek as past memories of her and Stefan flooded her mind.

She began to vividly remember her ride on the Ferris wheel with Stefan. Her mind then began to play back all the times Stefan had told her that he loved her, and lastly, she remembered choosing Stefan, in her dying moments with nothing but a cell wall standing between them.

This was a moment that should have made Elena go running out of the room a blubbering mess, but instead, her insides swelled up with bliss.

"Stefan," she whispered hauntingly. The moment she said his name, sadness befell her, along with regret and hopelessness. "What have I done?"

~ ( - ) ~

Enzo and Caroline escaped the boarding house and went straight to the Grill. Caroline sipped on her ice cold tea and mindlessly ate her fries as she looked vacantly out into the restaurant.

Caroline was completely oblivious to Enzo staring at her as she ate with his arms crossed on top of the table.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Uhhh," she sighed loudly, annoyed with his question. "Like you care," Caroline sassed.

"Don't be that way love. I'm only trying to be your friend."

"I don't need your friendship, and since when have you wanted to be friends with anyone? All you do is kill innocent people," she answered sarcastically.

"I resent that, and I only kill useless humans. It's either them, or me, and I choose me."

"You used to be one of those useless human beings you know, and what about your one true love? She was human."

"…and she was one of a kind. They'll never be another, like Maggie," he answered seriously, a saddened look in his eyes.

Caroline's facial expression softened as she flashed Enzo an empathetic look.

"I'm sorry, Enzo. I know it must have been hard losing her, and to your best friend no less," she explained caringly.

"Yes, it hurt like hell, but Damon didn't know."

"Can you be so sure that he wouldn't have killed her even if he had known? Damon, hasn't always been a standup guy, you know," Caroline said cynically.

"Well, I choose to believe that he wouldn't have, and I'm glad I never had to find out otherwise," Enzo replied, then smiled.

They looked awkwardly at each other before Enzo took a swig of his beer.

"So, how long have you been in love with Stefan?" Enzo asked, breaking their uncomfortable moment.

Caroline's eyes widened. She was astounded by his question. The last thing she wanted was to reveal the secrets of her heart to Enzo, but she literally had no one else to talk to, and she desperately wanted to share the budding feelings that festered inside of her for Stefan with someone.

She couldn't talk to Bonnie. She was gone. She and Tyler were on speaking terms, but she wasn't ready to tell him about her love life, and she and Elena certainly couldn't speak because they were at odds over the same guy.

But ultimately, Caroline decided not to open up about her true feelings for Stefan to Enzo. She didn't want to be vulnerable with him.

"I told you, Enzo. I don't need your friendship," she sassed.

"Unf, I thought we were friends. We've been together every day since Stefan was taken, searching through spell book after spell book, talking about everything, including the weather. Isn't that what friends do?" Enzo asked, a disappointed look in his eyes.

Caroline looked shamefacedly at him. She had forgotten that she had spent more time with Enzo, looking for ways to bring Stefan home, than she did with her own so call best friend. She had even cried in front of him on a few occasions over the silliest of things. She had already shown him how vulnerable she was.

The bigger problems that she didn't want to talk about like loving Stefan, and missing Bonnie so much that she didn't even want to feed some days had magnified the trivial things in her life.

When she unloaded her woes to Enzo, not once did he make her feel less than a person for crying over insignificant things, like her petty jealous of the other girls in her class, the B she made on her math test, and how the new waitress at the grill over charged her for drinks. Enzo simply gave her an ear, and had even threatened to take care of her annoying little problems.

"I've always liked, Stefan, but after he and Elena broke up, I subconsciously let down my guard, I guess," she explained innocently and then smiled. "He told me he loved me," she gushed, then giggled like a little girl.

"What's not to love? You're a great girl," he said, flashing Caroline an affectionate look.

Caroline became nervous under Enzo's intense gaze.

"I guess it doesn't matter if he loves me. We'll never find a way to bring him and Bonnie home," she said sadly.

"Lucy, is a very determined woman. She's going to find a way to bring them back, and you'll get a chance to tell him that you love him, too."

Caroline beamed. "You really think so?" she asked, a hint of doubt in her voice.

"I really think so."

Caroline beamed. "You're kind of cool, Enzo, and I'm sorry I've been such a jerk to you."

"Don't let my charm and good looks fool you, love. I really am the devil." Enzo winked at Caroline and grinned.

She shook her head at his absurd comment, then smiled as she turned her wondrous gaze to the window and began daydreaming about her and Stefan.

~ ( - ) ~

Stefan woke up before Bonnie and Damon. He looked around their quaint little house with all its warm shades of green, red, yellow, purple, and blue and smiled. He then snooped through their cupboard, wondering what he could make them for breakfast. He wanted to do something nice for Bonnie and Damon since they had fought so hard to make sure that he stayed with them and not in the cold cell with its dirt covered floors.

Stefan found his way around the house pretty easily as he was very familiar to some of the ways Tupac's people did things as he grew up in a similar fashion.

After making breakfast, covering it with clothe, and sitting it over the steaming pot to keep it warm, Stefan went outside to eat his fruit and drink what he believed to be the weakest tea like beverage in the history of mankind. He frowned up in the face after every sip.

Stefan became frighteningly alarmed when Monkey Man appeared from out of nowhere. The animal eased his way over to Stefan. He sat down in front of him, then flashed him all his teeth.

"Well, hello, handsome," Stefan greeted and Monkey man pounded his chest happily.

The animal observed Stefan carefully before performing tricks for him. Stefan grinned, then clapped. Monkey man became agitated with Stefan and began hopping angrily up and down.

"What's wrong, boy? Do you want, Bonnie and Damon?" Stefan asked.

The animal snatched the yellow fruit harshly out of Stefan's hand and took a large bite of it, almost eating the entire fruit in one take.

The move caused Stefan to go flying back against the door, spilling his tea in the process. He flashed the animal and unbelieving look, then frowned as he shook the wetness from the hot tea off his hand.

"That was rude," Stefan nagged, still frowning up at Monkey Man who didn't have a care in the world.

Stefan looked at the little tea left in his cup and finished it. He sat the cup down on the step in front of him and placed his hands together between his widely spread legs. As he rubbed his hands together, he remembered the moment with Elena before he was whisked away from mother earth. He smiled in remembrance of his conversation with her. It reminded him of old times.

Stefan's eyes then narrowed as he racked his mind trying to recall if he had told her that he loved her or not. He hoped to God that he had. He wanted her to know that he loved her before he left her side, forever.

Stefan was taken from his thoughts when he heard footsteps approaching.

"Good morning. Stefan, is it?" Tupac asked, a serious look on his face.

"Uh, uh, yeah," Stefan answered as he nervously got to his feet. "Damon and Bonnie are still asleep," he added as his dusted the dirt away from the back of his pants.

"I'm actually here to see you," Tupac answered seriously.

"Oh, oh, okay." Stefan folded his arms in front of him an anxious look covered his face.

"You're trial will be today in the town's square just before sunset. It's important that you be there. It will fare well for you if you can prove that you're a man of your word," Tupac explained.

"Wow, that was fast," Stefan answered in utter disbelief.

"I thought maybe you wanted to resolve this tragic situation immediately?" Tupac inquired inquisitively.

"I was actually hoping to spend more time with my brother, and Bonnie, before you decided to… to… to end me," he explained hesitantly.

"Yes, I did think of that, but to be quite honest, the other council members are the ones pushing for immediate justice for Keme," Tupac answered gravely, then shamefully lowered his head.

"Oh, uh, well, will someone be defending me, or will I need to defend myself?" Stefan asked, slightly annoyed.

"Unfortunately, no one has stepped up to take on the task. I would speak on your behalf, but I can't defend you or be a judge because of my friendship with Damon. Hotah is the head judge, and he is fair. He is not as hungry for blood as Aakesh."

"Well, that's good, I guess."

"I'm sorry, Stefan, but I feel good about your chances, and you should, too."

Stefan flashed Tupac a fake grin, "Thank you for stopping by, Tupac. I will tell Bonnie and Damon, the good news," he joked, in an effort to mask the true fear he felt in this moment.

"Okay, Stefan. I'm sure you want to be alone with your family. We'll see you later."

Tupac nodded, then flashed Stefan a grin before walking away. Stefan watched him leave with his hands on his hips for a while before going back inside.

He walked in to see Damon sitting at the kitchen table with a grave look on his face. It didn't take Stefan long to figure out that Damon had heard his and Tupac's entire conversation.

"So, I guess you heard?"

Damon looked at Stefan for a second, then looked back down at the open book in front of him.

Stefan walked over to the table and sat at the chair across from Damon. "You and Bonnie, have made a nice life for yourself here, and then I came along and ruined it," Stefan said disappointedly then forced himself to smile.

He genuinely felt bad for all the horror that he had caused Bonnie and Damon, especially knowing that they were having a child together.

"You didn't ruin anything, Stefan," Damon replied in a low husky voice. His voice was huskier than usual. The weight of emotions welling up inside of him made it hard for him to think or much less speak in this instance. "Well, you did stink up my happy bubble a little bit," he joked under his breathe and then took a sip of his hot beverage.

Stefan let out a light chortle.

"Good morning; smells nice," Bonnie chimed in as she entered the kitchen.

"Morning," Damon and Stefan replied in unison.

Bonnie made a b-line for the bathroom to freshen up before joining the fellows for breakfast.

The moment Bonnie closed the bathroom door, Damon was up fixing her plate.

Stefan smiled at Damon as he prepared Bonnie's food and poured her tea. Stefan was impressed with how thoughtful and meticulous Damon was about caring for Bonnie. Her plate of food was just as arranged as the house with all the food neatly in place. Her silverware laid perfectly arranged next to her plate and the handle of her cup was turned just so, that Bonnie could thread her thin digits right through the handle.

Damon topped of his cup of tea and then poured Stefan a cup as well before sitting down and putting his focus back on his book.

Stefan let out a low chortle after taking a sip of his tea. His laughter caught Damon's attention.

"What?" Damon asked dryly.

"You, playing house, that's all," Stefan teased.

"I'm not playing house. This is our home. It's our thing," Damon answered seriously.

Stefan nodded as he pushed his bottom lip into his top one. He was impressed with Damon's response. "Touché."

"Thanks, to whomever made breakfast and fixed my plate," Bonnie stated as she entered the room.

"You're welcome!" Damon and Stefan stated in unison, again. They looked at each other and then chuckled.

"Did you sleep well, Stefan?"

"Well, I tried, but between your fuck me's and oh God's and Damon's loud grunts, it was a little difficult."

"Oh, my God, you heard us?" Bonnie responded shamefully as she pushed her face into her hands.

"I knew you were awake, you nosey bastard," Damon fussed.

"Well, in my defense, I am a vampire, and this is a tiny house with paper thin walls."

"This is true," Damon replied, then grinned.

"How can you be so comfortable about this? Stefan, heard us having sex," Bonnie squawked.

"Oh, Bonnie, I'm sure it won't be the last time I hear you and my brother having sex," Stefan teased.

"Shut up, I hate you. I'm never going to be able to face you, again," Bonnie replied with her eyes planted keenly on her plate of food.

Stefan and Damon stared affectionately at Bonnie for a moment, then at each other. It didn't take long for Damon's thoughts to trail back to Stefan's and Tupac's conversation not an hour ago outside the house.

He's brother was due to be at a trial for the murder of one of the town's people that evening and the last time Damon felt fear like this, was when he saw Bonnie near death the night before. New earth was definitely a place where one could die and stay dead as the rules that applied back home didn't seem to apply here.

Damon's eyes narrowed and his jaw clicked profusely as the wheels in his head rapidly turned as he contemplated on ways to save his brother.

Time seem to stop for Stefan as he intently observed Damon. He knew that look. Damon was coming up with a plan, but whether it was one where they all came out winners or treacheries peasants, he didn't know, but he hoped that it wouldn't be the latter.

Stefan began to feel abundantly guilty. He had no intentions of disappointing his brother. He wished with all his heart that he had known somehow that Bonnie and Damon were living in Gardenia. He then cursed himself for being so stupid as to think that they wouldn't be living in Gardenia.

He knew that he was at the brink of losing all control, so he couldn't phantom why he would surround himself with living, breathing people.

"What are you thinking, Damon?" Stefan asked dazedly, his eyes glassed over.

"Not now, Stefan," Damon bit, and then got up from the table.

"What's going on?" Bonnie asked, her mouth full with sweet roll.

"It's nothing," Damon replied.

"We can't keep, Bonnie in the dark about this Damon. My trial is tonight."

"What?!" Bonnie yelled. "Why… why… why so soon," she stammered for the words.

"The council wants justice, and now, for Keme," Stefan replied gravely.

"I'm not going to let them execute you!" Damon yelled.

"What I did was wrong, Damon. I have to face the consequences."

"But it was an accident!" Damon exclaimed, his eyes like saucers.

"It doesn't matter, Damon! An innocent man is dead because of me! I killed that man, and all he was trying to do was help me," Stefan explained emotionally.

"But I don't care about, Keme. I only care about you," Damon responded in a weakened voice.

Bonnie left the table and took to Damon's side. She took him by the shoulders, turning his gaze to hers.

"We don't know that they are going to kill him, Damon. Stefan, gave them his word, and so did we."

"Tupac, thinks my chances are good, and I believe him," Stefan added.

Damon looked brokenheartedly between Bonnie and Stefan. He wanted to rage against the world whilst his two little moral compasses were tugging at his darkness, trying to bring him back into the light. He loved them unbelievably, but in this moment, he really wanted to give them both a swift kick in the ass for being so righteous and not more selfish about their own happiness and their right to live.

He exhaled and gently pulled himself away from Bonnie. He grabbed the back of his neck and held it firmly there, a contemplative look in his eyes.

"Okay, we'll do it your way, but I won't watch them execute you. I can't. It's not supposed to be like this, Stefan." He paused. "You're supposed to be here, with me, and the baby."

Stefan's lips began to quiver. He turned his back on Damon and Bonnie and looked blankly out the kitchen window.

"If this is going to be our last day together, Damon, I don't want to spend it arguing and feeling sorry for myself."

Bonnie's eyes darted up at Damon, and he looked down at her. Bonnie grabbed his hand and intertwined their fingers and tenderly rubbed his forearm. The move gave Damon strength. He exhaled and then looked back over at Stefan.

"Okay, what would you have me do, knowing that this could very well be the last time I will ever see you, again?"

Stefan turned around. He folded his arms over his front, then smiled as if a lightbulb had come on inside of him. "I want to ride those horses, go fishing, get sloppy drunk. I want to do all the things that you and I haven't done in a long time because we were too busy hating one another and fighting over a damn Petrova," Stefan said, then grinned.

Damon rolled his eyes and then snickered. "Alright. Can Bonnie tag along?"

"Oh, yes!" she beamed.

"No, she can't tag along," Stefan fussed. "No offense, Bonnie, you're adorable, but the things I want to do with my brother I can't have you hanging around," he explained, then flashed Damon and Bonnie a dubious expression.

"…and just what the hell are you planning on doing with him?" Bonnie frowned.

"Don't worry, Bon Bon, I'll tell you everything." Damon placed a finger on Bonnie's cheek and turned her gaze to his. He placed a chaste kiss on her lips, and then waggled his eyes at her as he bit his bottom lip, flashing her a smoldering glance.

Bonnie looked yearningly at him as she folded her bottom lip between her teeth. She began to drift into Damon. She swung her arms around his neck and kissed him repeatedly on the lips. Their lips closed and opened over each other's, making the smacking sound as they made contact. Occasionally, they'd let the tip of their tongues brush each other's lips, tasting the sweet taste of each other as they continued to smooch.

Stefan watched them all the while with a smile on his face. But it finally dawned on him that time was ticking down and his time with Damon was diminishing.

"Um… um," Stefan cleared his throat. "As much as I like watching you two love birds, we better start the day," he interrupted.

"Mmm, I have to go, Bon Bon," Damon mumbled against her lips.

"Don't go. I miss you," she replied.

"He's still here," Stefan mocked.

"You shut up," Bonnie fussed under her breathe, not sparing Stefan a glance.

Stefan chuckled.

"Don't mine him," Damon said, then kissed her one last time. "Come on, hero hair."

Stefan swiftly walked over to them. "Take care of this baby," Stefan said to Bonnie before kissing her on the cheek and rushing out the door.

"You two be careful," Bonnie said as she walked Damon out the door, next.

"We will, and tell Tupac, we'll be back," Damon replied with sad eyes. Just the mention of coming back for Stefan's inevitable demise made him overwhelmingly sad.

Bonnie waved goodbye fitfully to them. She thought she could be strong, but seeing Damon walk away with his brother for what could very well be their last time together, ripped her apart at the core. Her lips violently quivered and her eyes were flooded with tears, so much so, that Damon and Stefan seemed like a blur. But she held her sweet and innocent smile just as she had done on so many devastating and heartbreaking times before.

~ ( - ) ~

Damon's and Stefan's first stop was the tavern. They stocked up on plenty of liquor and herbs, which was this planets marijuana.

After leaving the tavern, they collected fishing gear, two horses, and headed down to a good fishing spot that Tupac had shown Damon.

Stefan and Damon drank tons and smoked some of the herbs before trying to do a little fishing.

They were an intoxicated mess as they tangled up their lines and fishing nets. Stefan was so drunk that he jumped into the creek and tried catching fish with his bare hands, and Damon the drunken mess he was followed suit.

Even in this innocent and merry moment, a competition between the brothers ensued. Damon couldn't help but want to outshine Stefan, but he not only wanted to outdo Stefan, he wanted to be better because he was the big brother. He wanted to lead his little brother like he did when they were boys, when his father's blatant favoritism for Stefan wasn't so obvious.

Damon found himself taking by jealous once seeing Stefan excel at fishing even when he was completely intoxicated.

"Whew, hoo! I caught more fish than you!" Stefan shouted as he hurriedly climbed out of the lake with his fifth largest fish.

Damon smacked the water angrily and climbed out of the lake behind Stefan. He marched over to their things, snatched off his shirt, and threw it and himself to the ground, too, and crossed his legs.

Damon's sullen attitude didn't go unnoticed by Stefan.

"What's wrong, Damon?" Stefan asked, slightly slurring his words as he tumbled down to the ground next to Damon.

Damon hiked up his legs and rested his arms on his knees and looked out at the creek through his foggy lens. His sullen attitude was starting to affect his high.

"I wanted to be better, and good at everything, for you. But I keep failing you. Time, and time, again."

Stefan snickered, dismissing Damon's pathetic announcement.

"You haven't failed me. You're a great brother, Damon, and a great role model."

Damon raised his brow curiously at Stefan's statement. He looked at Stefan then burst into a fit of laughter. "Me? A role model."

"Yeah. What's so funny about that?" Stefan asked with an inquisitive gaze.

"I've been nothing but a monster to you since the moment I came back into your life," Damon said preposterously.

"Yeah, you've done some really shitty and horrible things, but not when we were kids, and not when we were human. You left a war, which angered father because you believed it was the right thing to do. I can't think of a moment when I was more proud of you."

Damon looked at his brother with an intense gaze. "You really mean that?"

"Hell yeah, I mean it!" Stefan responded exaggeratedly.

Damon couldn't take his eyes of his brother. He hadn't remembered seeing Stefan look so happy in a long time, and on a day when his life was sure to end, ironically.

"I'm sorry for not seeking you after Elena and I got together. If I hadn't been so selfish, and if I had thought more about you than my own happiness, I would have known that something was terribly wrong."

"It's okay, I forgive you. I'm just glad that you were happy, and with the woman you loved," Stefan answered and then smiled.

"Yeah, I was happy, but what about you? Are you happy? Do you think you'll ever love, again? I know Elena was everything to you."

"Ah, Elena. I'm surprised you haven't asked me about her." Stefan looked oddly at his brother.

"With everything going on there hasn't been enough space in my head to focus on her right now. How is she by the way?" Damon asked.

"She didn't take things too well after you left. She took hallucinogenic drugs to see a ghostly form of you in order to function. She attacked people. She wasn't herself," Stefan explained with a blank look in his eyes. "Elena never wanted to be a vampire. She didn't want to be that person," he whispered dejectedly and dazedly into the wind.

Damon frowned at what Stefan had told him. He'd thought for sure that Elena would cope better without him. As Damon processed what Stefan had revealed to him, he couldn't help but think of how his toxic and selfish love for Elena had ruined her, and him, too, in some instances.

He had become a shallow form of himself and he looked to Elena to validate who he was. Damon rapidly closed and opened his eyes. He shook himself internally, trying to purge the things that had happened between him and Elena from his mind.

"…and how did you cope without me? I worried about you every day. I longed every waking moment to see you, again," Damon stated amiably, then smiled.

"I had to turn it off. I even went on killing sprees with, Enzo. How dumb is that, right?" he paused and then laughed at the thought of what he had done. "God, I hate myself," he said breathlessly. "But after Tyler bit me, I realized how badly I wanted to live, for you." Stefan paused, again. "I guess dying isn't so bad after all. It led me here to you, right?" he joked, and Damon lightly chuckled.

Damon hated the little reminder of Stefan's impending doom. Stefan noticed right away the change in Damon's appearance, and he was determined to not let anything ruin their time together.

"So, you and Bonnie? You two seem pretty much in love with each other."

Damon instantly beamed at hearing the question of him, Bonnie, and love in the same sentence.

"Ah, Stefan, she's amazing. We've done everything together. We bicker, clean, and play together. She listens to me for hours, and when she isn't listening, she talks to me about any and everything," he explained and laughed, once more in recollection.

Stefan smiled at Damon's reaction to his question. "Once we return home, do you think you will still feel this way about her? You and Elena, were really close. You loved her so much. I'd hate for Bonnie to get hurt, especially now that she's pregnant."

Damon's eyes darted over to Stefan. He frowned at his brother. "Don't," he slowly shook his head. "Don't every doubt my love, for Bonnie. She means the world to me. I love her. I'm in love with her, and I love my baby."

Stefan instantly lost his smile. His brother's rejoinder let him know that he had offended him. Damon glared at Stefan for so long that he turned red in the face. He roughly ran his fingers through his hair and cursed under his breathe. Damon didn't want to be angry with his brother, especially now, when his life hung in the balance.

Damon turned to face his brother. He forced himself to smile. "So, what about you? Have you met anyone special?" Damon asked in an effort to clear the air.

"Hey, didn't you already ask me that question?" Stefan stated, then laughed.

"Yeah. Maybe. I don't konw. Give me a break. I'm trying here," Damon rushed out then let out a low chortle.

"Mmm, me, have I met someone special?" Stefan stated hesitantly. "It's hard to meet someone special when you can't get over your first love," he trailed off. "Before I was taken away from Mystic Falls, I could have sworn that I told Elena that I loved her. Everything seems so vague and bleak now," Stefan explained with a furrowed brow.

"What?" Damon asked incredulously, his brow wrinkled as he frowned up at his brother's statement. "You still love her, after everything that has happened?"

They stared keenly at each other. Stefan wasn't sure if he liked where his brother was headed with his question.

"Yes, Damon. I still love Elena. You can't just turn love off, and you don't stop loving someone because they are a crummy person."

"You can't be with a woman that's in love with the both of us. If you let her back in, things between us won't be normal."

"Look, Damon, I don't want to argue about her. This day is about you and me. This could possibly be our last day together, and I don't want to ruin it arguing, so please, let it go?"

A serious stare-off ensued between the brothers. Damon knew that Stefan was right, and he didn't want to have a debate about Elena Gilbert with his brother either, even though he hated the fact that Stefan was willing or even remotely considering letting Elena back into his life, he couldn't let those feelings and thoughts destroy their moment now.

Damon ultimately pushed the thought of Elena and Stefan patching things up to the four corners of his mind because Elena was literally not an issue for them at present, as Stefan's life was not promised beyond this day.

"Alright, let's smoke another fat one and knock off the rest of this liquor," Damon rushed out.

"Yes, let's," Stefan reiterated.

~ ( - ) ~

After packing up their things, Damon decided to take Stefan to a special place where they could relax and feed the way they desired. He decided to take his brother to Gardenia's fine little bordello.

Damon was always terrible with coming up with good ideas when Bonnie wasn't around, but he wanted Stefan to live his last day to the fullest, and nothing would be better than feeding with his brother, he believed.

Damon wanted Stefan's belly full with human blood because his brother loved it, but he mostly wanted him to have human blood because in the back of his mind he was injudicious enough to believe that the copious amounts of blood that Stefan would consume, would help him recover quicker from whatever injuries the court ordered as punishment for his crime.

Damon and Stefan arrived at the whorehouse extremely drunk and high out of their minds. Damon's entire equilibrium was off and so was Stefan's.

They staggered into Madame Tatiana's place. Damon went to pay for their time with some of her ladies whilst Stefan looked around the large house with its red and golden décor. The curtains were drown and candles were lit everywhere even though it was a beautiful sweltering day.

Seeing half naked women, kissing and rubbing on each other as well as women kissing and caressing on men made a lightbulb inside of Stefan come on.

"Hey, is this a whorehouse?" Stefan questioned with a furrowed brow, slurring his words.

Damon turned to Stefan, his eyelids practically closed as he stood slumped over the table talking to Madame Tatiana. "What?" he asked, still processing Stefan's question.

"Is this a…" Stefan was cut off.

"No. Uh, no, it's a massage parlor."

Stefan looked around at the half naked women, again. "What the hell. I've never seen a massage therapist massage you with her tongue and tits."

"Yeah, they do things differently in Gardenia," Damon replied lethargically. "Now, come on." Damon stumbled over to Stefan and wrapped his arm around his neck and led him to their room.

Stefan and Damon walked inside to four half naked women laying across a bed and on the couch across the room.

"Oooh," Stefan chimed as if he were a kid in a candy shop.

"Well, you said you wanted to do things with me that you couldn't do with Bonnie around."

"I said that because I didn't want her to hear us talk about her, Elena, and us. I didn't mean I wanted to go to a whorehouse," Stefan replied.

"You're a vampire, Stefan, learn to revel in it."

"Damon, we can't. I have to go," Stefan rushed out and then tried to leave.

Damon flashed his brother around to him, grabbed him by the neck, and stared him deep in the eye.

"Being a vampire is not something that I wanted, but I learned to live with it, and I came to enjoy it, and there were even times when I wished that I could enjoy being a vampire with you, and having moments like this. Please Stefan, enjoy this with me. I won't let you hurt these women. I swear it on the life of my unborn child," Damon pleaded passionately.

Stefan looked at his brother with a fearful look in his eyes. He then remembered what Bonnie had done to him in the cell. He was now anxious to see if her technique worked, and a small part of him wondered what it would be like to feed and be a vampire with his brother.

"O…okay," he answered undecidedly, then irritatingly ran his hand over his face.

Damon rushed over to the sofa and two of the women crawled on and straddled him. They kissed him all over his face, neck, and ripped open his shirt and kissed him all over his chest. Stefan watched for a tick before joining the other women on the bed.

The woman hurriedly straddled Stefan. One woman roughly kissed him on the lips. He swallowed deeply after she pulled away.

"Whoa, hey, not the penis. That belongs to someone else," Damon said sternly to one of the women after grabbing her roughly by the hands.

He then compelled the women to do only his bidding which was not to be afraid of him whilst he feed from them.

Stefan did everything that Damon did as he didn't want to muck this moment. Damon bit into the woman's neck, taking only what he needed. He then looked over at Stefan. He nodded, signally to Stefan that it was okay and that he was there to watch over him.

Stefan looked at the pulsating vein on the woman's neck intensely. His mouth watered and his cock throbbed. He licked his lips and drifted slowly into the woman. She tilted her head to the side, allowing him better access to her slender neck.

Damon watched his brother cautiously. He wanted to honor his word to protect Stefan against himself just as he had sworn.

Stefan bit into the woman. He closed his eyes as her sweet warm ambrosia flowed into his mouth. Stefan then began to feel that searing, aching pain that Bonnie had given him when it was time for him to stop. He swiftly pulled away from the woman. He loudly panted and his eyes were bloodshot red and as wide as saucers as his chest rapidly rose and fell.

"I did it. I did it," he chanted amazingly in a low, husky voice through his blood laced lips.

"Stefan, you did it. See, you can feed as you were meant to without hurting someone," Damon said proudly, then smiled affectionately at his brother.

"This has nothing to do with me, and everything to do with Bonnie," Stefan responded excitedly, then chuckled.

Damon looked curiously at his brother with a raised brow. "Bonnie?"

"Yeah, Bonnie," Stefan said sweetly.

Stefan and Damon continued on with their feeding frenzy, and not once did Damon have to step in to save Stefan.

~ ( - ) ~

After spending a few hours at Madame Tatiana's, Damon and Stefan toured the country side. Damon showed his brother where he and Bonnie washed their clothes, and ironically, it was also the same spot where they first made love and conceived their first child. Stefan was red with embarrassment and wished that he had not been given so much of Damon's private information, but he didn't have the heart to tell Damon to stop.

He had always wished that he and Damon could talk about the women in their lives to each other and here they were, doing just that.

Whilst touring some of the beautiful parts of Gardenia, Damon and Stefan played a little football, something else that they hadn't done in a while. Once again, Damon was sore with Stefan for beating him, but this time he was better at hiding it.

After playing football, they raced down to the creek to wash the mud and dirt off of their clothes and faces, and yet again, a competition resulted.

They swam back and forth in the creek, the other trying to outdo the other. Stefan didn't want to compete with Damon, but he felt that if he didn't at least try to beat Damon, it would anger him more.

Once again, Damon lost.

"Fuck, shit!" Damon angrily yelled out.

"This is fun!" Stefan said excitedly.

"Shut up." Damon glowered, and Stefan laughed.

Stefan looked to the sky, still smiling. He soon lost his beautiful smile once seeing how low the sun sat in the sky. The time was drawing near for him to finally face his could be doom.

"Damon, we better head back."

"What? No. We still have more time," Damon rushed out as he dug through his bag looking for a dry top and a pair of pants.

"There's no time, Damon. Look at the sun."

Damon turned his gaze to the sky. Stefan was right. It was time to head back. "Fuck," Damon mumbled as he slowly rose to his feet. He placed a hand roughly on his hip and rubbed his face agitatedly with the other before going off like a ticking time bomb.

He picked up the bag and slung wildly around. All its contents went flying out of the bag and strode across the forest floor. After he had completely obliterated the bag, he used the tree as a punching bag, blooding up his knuckles in the process.

Stefan folded his arms over his front, his lips quivered and tears streamed down his cheeks as he watched his brother lose it.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" Damon chanted loudly over and over as he kicked the bark off the tree, scaring away birds and little furry creatures nearby.

Damon's tantrum finally came to an end. Stefan stopped his sobbing and began picking up their things from off the ground. Damon watched him for a tick before helping Stefan to collect their things.

They picked up their stuff, then loaded it onto their horses. Stefan hopped on his horse and trotted off. Damon watched his brother as he rode away, his heart breaking all the while. He made himself climb upon his horse and follow behind Stefan. It was literally the most laborious thing he had done all day.

Once he was on top of his horse he swallowed deeply. This was one journey that Damon did not want to take. He had half a mind to kidnap his brother, but it dawned on him that Bonnie was still in Gardenia, so he had to think about the safety of Bonnie and his unborn child, first.

They trotted slowly along, Damon trailed yards behind his brother when suddenly Stefan stopped.

Damon trotted alongside Stefan and stopped. "Stefan?" Damon asked worriedly.

"Race ya!" Stefan blurted out and then took off.

"Hell no," Damon murmured, then took off behind his brother.

Stefan rode his animal hard, pushing the beast to its limits. Damon rode his animal equally as hard, trying to catch up to his brother.

They were now neck and neck, Stefan looked over at Damon and smiled and Damon grinned back.

"You won't win, Stefan." But what Damon really meant was that he wasn't about to let Stefan die, not on his watch. He was the big brother. It was his duty to protect his baby brother.

"Pfft, please," Stefan shouted back, then yelled and hit his animal with the strap, making it go faster.

"No," Damon grumbled, then mimicked his brother.

They were still neck and neck, neither one could inch out ahead. Suddenly, Stefan pulled back. The move worried Damon and caused him to falter. Stefan took advantage of this and edged out ahead, beating Damon through the back gates of Gardenia.

It was in this moment that Stefan saw how good and wonderful a brother Damon could be, and how much he loved him.

They slowed down their horses, finally bringing them to a stop. Their eyes instantly met, and to Stefan's surprise, Damon wasn't angry. He wore a proud expression which pleased Stefan.

"You won, good for you," Damon said proudly.

"Yeah, I won," Stefan replied coolly. "I've waited a long time to get a glimpse of the old Damon."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Damon mocked, then climbed down off his horse.

~ ( - ) ~

Bonnie and Damon were in their bedroom getting dressed while Stefan was in his room getting ready for the trial, too.

Bonnie sat on the side of the bed, watching as Damon tried to tie his vest. His hands tremored as he tried lacing up the leather straps. Bonnie hurried off the bed. She grabbed his hands and massaged them whilst looking deep into his pale blue eyes.

"I had a beautiful vision while you were away," she said, "I saw you and Stefan, riding in your car with the top down, our baby all bundled up in the back seat," she revealed, then flashed him her dazzling smile.

"Really?" Damon questioned, astounded.

Bonnie eagerly nodded.

"You think my brother is going to be okay?" he asked apprehensively.

"I know so. I think the outcome will be in our favor, Damon, so keep your head up," Bonnie explained as she took his chin between her finger and thumb.

Stefan knocked, "I'm ready," he shouted through the door.

Bonnie and Damon ascended from the room hand and hand. They then all left the house and dragged themselves to the town's square where ironically, everyone in town seemed to be.

All the town's people looked and whispered at Stefan as he walked passed.

Stefan, Damon, and Bonnie were now in front of the judges.

"Who will be your barrister?" an older white haired gentleman asked.

"I will be defending myself," Stefan replied nervously.

Bonnie and Damon hugged Stefan, before taking the two chairs set up behind's Stefan's station, and the trial was called to order. Aakesh called his first witness, Abena.

She explained to the judges and the onlookers about what happened on the day in question. The crowed was sickened by what they heard.

It was now Stefan's turn to question Abena.

"Hello, Abena."

The woman looked at him indifferently, then turned away. Stefan couldn't use the defense that he was innocent beyond a reasonable doubt, so he argued in defense of his character instead.

"Abena, what happened between you and me yesterday while the city was under attack?"

"…and what does last night have to do with what happened to Keme, My Lords?" Aakesh huffed.

"Mr. Salvatore, I don't understand the meaning behind your question. Please clarify."

"I believe my question will help to prove to the court the true nature of my character, and that it was not my intention to kill, Keme, your honor," Stefan replied.

"Proceed," Hotah answered.

Abena explained how Stefan had saved her life on the night that Shing attacked the city. The crowd was now mystified as they looked around at each other and whispered.

Damon and Bonnie looked at the judges who seemed surprised and then at the crowd who were now also doubting Stefan's guilt. Bonnie and Damon then looked at each other and smiled. Damon grabbed Bonnie's hand and intertwined their fingers before kissing her forehead.

Aakesh squirmed uneasily in his chair after hearing Abena's testimony.

"Thank you, Abena. I have no further questions for this witness, your honor."

"Before I go, I would like to address the court," Abena said, slightly above a whisper.

Aakesh evilly grinned and Stefan flashed her a worried look.

"The day when the outlander killed my husband, I was afraid, but after he saved my life, I was touched by his act of contrition, and I know, if my husband were here today, he would be saddened by my death, but he would also forgive this man, and he would give him another chance," she explained caringly.

"Stefan, I forgive you," Abena said as she looked at Stefan, then flashed him a kind grin. "Please show him mercy, My Lords," Abena announced, lastly, after turning to the judges.

"We will take your plea under advisement," Hotah said, then smiled at Abena.

Stefan smiled and nodded to Abena. He then called another witness, Viho.

Viho, swallowed deeply before coming down from the judge's chair to take the witness stand.

He was then asked by Stefan to describe the exchange between him and Stefan on the night of the invasion.

"My family and I were attacked by two of Emerald city guards. We would have surely died if Stefan had not shown up when he did. It's because of him that I, my daughter, and toddler son are alive today," he paused. "Stefan, I can't thank you enough for what you did for me, and I, too, ask the court to show you mercy."

The crowd was now split down the middle, some people were yelling out for mercy whilst others were angry with Abena and Viho for coming to Stefan's aid.

Aakesh, got up and screamed, asking for Viho to recuse himself.

"Order in the court! Order in the court!" Hotah yelled as he violently struck his gavel against the table.

The crowd finally calmed, allowing Hotah to continue.

"Given your testimony, Viho, the court ask that you recuse yourself from this case."

"Yes, My Lord," Viho answered then stepped down from the stand and joined his family in the crowd.

"Mr. Salvatore, Aakesh, please give your closing arguments."

Aakesh gave his angry closing remarks on why Stefan should be executed.

Stefan was then called to give his closing statement. He rose slowly from his chair to address the crowd.

"I had been on your planet for weeks when I stumbled upon your city, and in that time I hadn't fed. I know that my not feeding is no excuse for what I done, to Keme, and there's not a moment that goes by that I wish I could do things differently. But if the court will show me mercy. I promise to do whatever it takes to redeem myself. I know my good deeds won't bring, Keme back, but if what, Abena said is true, executing me won't honor his legacy, so I come before the good people of Gardenia today, asking your forgiveness and your mercy. Thank you."

"Is that it, Mr. Salvatore?" judge Gad asked.

"Yes, your honor," Stefan answered.

"The court will reconvene in an hour with its decision," Hotah said, then struck the table with his gavel. The judges left the table and entered a nearby building.

Bonnie, Damon, Zinnia, and Tupac rushed to Stefan's side.

"Well, how did I do?" Stefan asked nervously.

"You did well, Stefan. I think the judges will rule in your favor," Tupac answered enthusiastically.

"God, I hope so," he replied.

"Don't worry, Stefan. Everything will be fine," Bonnie added.

"It will, Stefan, don't worry," said Damon as he placed a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"So, what did you guys do today?" Bonnie asked, trying to change the subject.

Damon's mind quickly went back to Madame Tatiana's whorehouse, picturing the women kissing him all over his chest and face. He turned beet red, then looked down at Bonnie. "We went fishing and got drunk," he answered nervously.

"Really, that's all?" Bonnie answered coolly with a raised brow. "I thought for sure you'd take him to Tatiana's," she replied casually.

Damon and Stefan looked at each other astonished by Bonnie's comment.

"Next time, Stefan, we should hang. You'd have way more fun with me." Bonnie winked.

"Mmm," Stefan hummed amusingly as he rocked back and forth on his feet.

Stefan immediately lost his smile when he saw two large men go into the chamber with the judges.

"Stefan, what is it?" Damon asked after seeing a worried look flash across Stefan's face.

"Uh, nothing. Nothing."

An hour in a half later, the judges came back and reconvened.

"We have come to a decision. After hearing all of the testimony, and going over Gardenia's laws, and it is the court's decision that Stefan Salvatore be put to death."

A huge grin flashed across Aakesh's face.

"NO!" Damon and Bonnie yelled and jumped to their feet.

The crowd went mad. Stefan plopped roughly down in his chair, a devastated look on his face.

"Order! Order!" Hotah yelled. After several attempts of trying to calm the crowd, Hotah finally succeeded. "I have not finished! Stefan, you have committed a terrible crime. One that we cannot overlook, but you have also done some wonderful things in saving the lives of four of our own and fighting alongside our soldiers which is _why_… we are sentencing you to a temporary death," he paused, and Aakesh glowered.

Bonnie and Damon flashed Hotah a bewildered look before looking over at Stefan who was also puzzled.

"The court believes that you should be killed in the same manner in which you killed Keme. It is important to us that you feel the same pain that you forced upon him. But you will not be staked, which we are all aware is the only way your spices can be killed." Hotah inhaled and continued.

"Your sentence also includes a life of servitude, to Abena, for the remainder of her life. You are to do odds and ins around her home in her husband's stead, and we are well aware of the fact that you will or may return to your own home at some point, so any monies that you earn while here, we ask that you pay half of those earnings to Abena."

"Do you understand, Mr. Salvatore?"

Stefan rose from his chair and then nodded. "When will my sentencing be carried out?" he asked.

"In one hour in the arena."

Stefan nodded, again.

Hotah adjourned court and the town's people headed to the arena, leaving Bonnie, Damon, and Stefan alone with Zinnia and Tupac.

Bonnie sobbed, and Damon looked as if he had just gotten the wind knocked out of him.

"Well?" Stefan turned to his family and forced himself to smile.

"Stefan, Damon, Bonnie, I'm so sorry," Tupac stated gravely as he came running over to them with Zinnia's hand in his.

"It's only a temporary death, right?" Stefan stated still wearing his fake grin.

"This is true," Tupac answered uneasily.

"Bonnie," Zinnia lowly called as she wrapped her arms around Bonnie, comforting her.

"I can't watch you die, Stefan," Damon said gravely in a low husky voice.

"You don't have to come, Damon. I won't hold it against you. I know you love me." Stefan stepped closer to Damon, invading his personal space. They stared each other square in the eye before Stefan threw his arms around Damon's neck and squeezing him tightly to him. "Don't worry, Damon. I won't be gone for long."

"But I can't bear to be away from you another second," Damon whispered in his brother's ear as he cradled his head against his shoulder.

Stefan pulled away from his brother before being taking away by the guards. They stared into each other's eyes until Stefan was completely gone from Damon's sight.

"Damon, are we really not going to be there for Stefan? He needs us, Damon," Bonnie pleaded, a disappointed look in her eyes.

A tear fell from Damon's left eye. He didn't want to see Stefan suffer, let along watch him die.

"I can't, Bonnie."

Bonnie frowned at him, "Well, I'm going. Stefan needs to know that he's not alone." She looked at Damon with glassed over eyes for a spell before being lead to the arena by Zinnia and Tupac.

Damon was now alone in the town's square, his mind wrestled with doing the right thing. He did recognize how selfish he was being.

He then remembered how he was angry the entire day for losing to his brother on every turn. All throughout that day he wanted to be the one to lead by example, and here he was, presented with the golden opportunity to be what his brother needed and wanted him to be, but he opted to be the selfish loser instead.

As he sat in the chair, tapping his fingers against the table, he kept seeing Bonnie's and Stefan's disappointed faces in his mind.

Damon jumped up from the table, and flashed to the arena. He looked erratically around the crowed before finally spotting Bonnie, Zinnia, and Tupac in the box. He rushed to Bonnie's side.

Bonnie looked up just as Damon was walking over to her to take his seat beside her. Bonnie hurriedly stood up, an unbelieving look in her eyes. She grabbed her face in excitement and smiled.

"You came," she said breathlessly, then threw her arms around him.

"Stefan's needs me. You need me," he replied after taking her hands into his, clutching them tightly.

The horns blow in the arena, taking Bonnie and Damon by surprise. They looked around the place with a worried look in their eyes before taking their seats.

Bonnie took Damon's hand and squeezed it tightly as they watched Stefan being led out to the center of the dirt covered arena bare chested, shackles around his feet, and hand cuffed.

"Do they have to hand cuff him?" Damon stated angrily.

Two large vampire guards entered the arena, next. The horns blew, again, and large vampires tore into Stefan like wild animals. Damon gripped the railing in front of him with such force that he ripped it away from the cement. Bonnie's mouth went ajar and her eyes filled with tears as she watched the scene playing out in front of her in horror.

Stefan's eyes finally met Damon's, he forced his lips to curl up into his bloody cheeks, forming a grin as the men gnawed on his neck. Even when in terrible pain he wanted Damon to believe that he was okay.

Tears welled up in Damon's eyes. He couldn't take it. He wanted to run away so badly, but he was the big brother. It was his job to let his little brother win. It was his job to be there for his brother, so he stayed, and he didn't turn away. He slightly smiled back, and he watched on until Stefan's head was ripped clean off of his shoulders.

Damon let out an exasperated breathe, then tore out of the arena. Bonnie took off after him.

"Damon! Damon!" she screamed until her eyes landed on him. Damon fell back against the wall and drifted down to the ground. Bonnie crouched down next to him and pushed his head into her bosom. "It's okay to cry, Damon."

Damon closed his eyes as Bonnie rocked him in her arms. He could stay in her warm embrace forever and pretend that he didn't see his brother's head being ripped away from his body. Damon squeezed his eyes tightly together, still seeing what happened to his brother in the arena.

He knew that for all of his days that he would see that image play out in his mind. He thought for a fleeting moment of turning it off. When times got hard for Damon, he'd always go back to his backup plan, turning off his emotions, but this time there was too much at stake. He had Bonnie, a baby on the way, and he had Stefan.

"No, I have to be strong, for Stefan," he whispered brokenheartedly as he slowly opened his eyes.

"It doesn't make you weak to cry," Bonnie replied.

Damon gently pulled himself away from Bonnie and slowly got to his feet. He composed himself, straightened his vest, and then held his hands out for Bonnie to take. He helped her to her feet and massaged the back of her hands with his thumbs.

"Will you help me make a nice place in the woods for my brother to heal?"

"Stefan is family, Damon. You don't have to ask me that."

Three hours later, the guards followed Bonnie and Damon with Stefan's covered body to their favorite place, the creek.

The men laid Stefan's body on the ground and Bonnie and Damon waited until they were out of sight before they began.

They knelt down over his body. Damon reached his trembling hand towards the sheet. Bonnie's eyes watered as she clutched her chest, preparing herself to see Stefan's deceased body.

Damon looked over at Bonnie and her pregnant belly. He suddenly sensed that it wouldn't be a good idea for her to see what lied underneath the sheet. He already regretted allowing her to see Stefan's execution.

"Bonnie, you don't need to see this. You're pregnant."

"I promised Stefan that I would be here for him."

"My brother was torn apart Bonnie. You won't be able to have a decent night's rest after seeing him, I'm sure."

"I'm stronger than you think, Damon. Let me be here for you and Stefan?"

Damon stared at Bonnie with a penetrating gaze. Bonnie looked deep into his eyes, seeing all the hurt and worry in them. His profusely clicking jaw made his emotional distress all the more evident.

"Damon," Bonnie called in a childlike voice.

"Go, Bonnie. I don't want you stressing over this."

"No," she answered firmly.

Damon frowned at her, "Fine," he huffed.

Damon slowly pulled back the sheet, revealing a dead, badly bruised, and mangled Stefan. He inched the sheet down over his neck, seeing the incredible stitching around his neck that held his head to his body.

"Oh, God," Bonnie whispered in horror and began crying.

Damon was too focused on Stefan that he didn't hear Bonnie's loud weeping. He trailed his fingers lovingly over his brother's face, then kissed his forehead. He slowly pulled away from Stefan, his eyes still dazedly fixed on his brother's pale face. Seeing Stefan dead back in Mystic Falls still had not prepared him to see his brother dead body, again.

"He's healing so quickly," Bonnie whispered in amazement. "Hurry back, Stefan," she said before kissing Stefan's forehead, too.

Her faint words internally awoken Damon, bringing him back to reality. He began to laugh. He grabbed his gut and rocked back and forth as his laughter grow louder and more riotous.

Bonnie stopped crying. She flashed Damon a puzzling look.

Damon laughed hilariously, and he couldn't figure out why. He was hurt at the way his brother had to die, but he was so happy, knowing that Stefan would be coming back to him. After several moments of laughter, he sobered.

"Are you okay," Bonnie asked passively.

Damon looked at Bonnie, grinning, "Everything's going to be okay, isn't it?" he stated as if he had an epiphany.

"Yes," she replied.

A peaceful silence fell between them as they stared longingly at each other.

"Remind me to kick Stefan's ass after he wakes up," Damon rushed out, interrupting their quiet peaceful moment.

"Surrre," Bonnie dragged out.

"Come on, let's get him cleaned up," he suggested.

Bonnie and Damon cleaned his body with warm water mixed with scented oils, and then fixed up Stefan's place of rest. They laid a white blanket over him and surrounding it with a beautiful array of flowers.

Though Stefan was coming back, Damon still wanted to honor his death. He was so proud of Stefan for being honorable and brave. Damon didn't think he could love Stefan anymore then he did in this moment.

Damon and Bonnie stood hand and hand, starring down at Stefan's floral grave endearingly for a long while. They were anxious for his return.

"So, tell me, what really happened today?" Bonnie asked. She wanted to take Damon's mind off the dreary moment by helping him to remember the happier times with Stefan from earlier that day.

"That son of a bitch beat me at everything. Horseback riding, fishing, swimming," Damon said, then laughed.

"Let me guess, when he wakes up, you're going to challenge him, again."

Damon laughed.

"By the way, we did go to Madame Tatiana's and for the first time, Stefan seemed in complete control," Damon said to the wind with a wrinkled brow. "He said he owed it all to you," he looked pecurilarly down at Bonnie. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

"I have my tricks, but I'm not going to tell you," Bonnie answered slyly, then winked at Damon.

"Mm, hm," he mumbled. "Last night, when you said that you would marry me once you knew. What did you mean by that?"

"It's nothing, Damon." She flashed him an uncomfortable expression.

"Yes, yes it is, Bon Bon, please tell me," he pleaded attentively.

Bonnie exhaled as she pondered over whether she wanted to tell Damon or not about her doubts. But as she looked at him, a childlike look on his face, those doubts began to diminish.

"Yes," she answered.

"Yes," Damon swallowed and flashed her a knowing look. He grabbed Bonnie by the waist, pulling her closer to him. He nudged her nose with his. "I love you, Bonnie, so much."

Bonnie swung her arms around his neck and ran her fingers through his hair. "…and I love you, too, Damon. You are the right one for me, and I won't let doubt and fear keep me from starting a life with you. I know whatever comes along, we'll get through it, but only if we're together."

"You mean, Elena?"

"Yes, does it bother you that I feel insecure about her?"

"No, it doesn't," he said and slightly shook his head. "It's you that I want, not her, and when we return home, you'll see."

"Okay," Bonnie replied amiably, then pushed his nose with her finger.

"Do you want to get married here in Gardenia?"

"Yes, and when we get home, I want to get married, again," Bonnie gushed.

"I'm okay with that," Damon replied as he rested his forehead against Bonnie's.

"It's getting dark out. Should we start a fire?" Bonnie asked as she turned her gaze to the sky.

"In a minute. Right now, I just want to hold you."

Damon turned her around to him, putting her back to his front, and trailed moist kisses down Bonnie's neck.

She moaned as his cool lips kissed her warm tawny skin.

Damon lifted her shirt and gently caressed Bonnie's pregnant belly. Bonnie smiled all the while as a warm, tingling sensation radiated throughout her body. She felt as light as a feather as Damon's cool hand caressed her scrooching belly.

Damon opened his eyes and looked down at Stefan's lifeless body, feeling a mixture of emotions, but mostly he was happy because he knew that one day Bonnie's beautiful vision of him and Stefan together, with his child, would come to pass. He vowed in that moment to create more happy memories with Stefan. He could no longer take his relationship with his brother for granted.

Damon shook himself internally from his thoughts when he felt his baby moving wildly inside of Bonnie.

"I think your kid likes me. He's all over the place."

Bonnie chuckled. "It's your baby, too, _and she…_ loves you."

"Sweetheart, this is a boy."

"Mm, no sir, we're having a girl."

"…and how do you know? Did you see this in your vision, too?"

"No," she answered disappointedly. "The baby was in all black everything. I just saw its cute little mocha face," Bonnie nagged. "But it has to be a girl."

"If you want it to be a girl, Bon Bon, I'm sure it will be a girl," Damon answered sweetly, then lowly chuckled. "Are we really happening?" he asked astonishingly.

"We are. We are, Damon," Bonnie beamed.


	16. Chapter 16: Time to say Goodbye Part I

**A/N: **So, chapter six end up being over 20K words… LOL! I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I don't think people like this story as much as in the beginning. I'm not getting as many comments as before. Oh well, maybe you've all found a better story and author out here on FF. There are tons better than my sorry ass that's for sure.

Any who, have a great day, and thanks to all who support me. I will upload part II of this tomorrow, Sunday the latest.

**Oblivion Chapter 16: Time to say Goodbye Part I**

Damon and Bonnie continued to wait for Stefan's return to the land of the living. After building a fire together, Bonnie curled up on Damon's lap and went to sleep.

Damon sat against the rock facing, smiling at Bonnie as she lay with her head resting comfortably on his lap. Periodically, he would look over at his brother's body as it lay lifelessly in front of him. He could still see Stefan in the arena being viciously attacked by the guards. It all seemed like a bad nightmare, but it was very real.

He assumed that once Stefan's body was brought to him in one piece, that he would get over the vampires mutilating him, but the jagged stitching around Stefan's neck along with the purplish bruising and swelling did even more to his psyche than seeing Stefan being ripped apart in the arena.

His brother looked like a freak of nature, and knowing that he would have to be the one to remove his stitching, gave him even more depressing thoughts.

Whenever his thoughts became too dark, he would look down at Bonnie. He would recall how she beamed when she spoke about marrying him on new earth and when they returned to their own home, and when Bonnie mentioned seeing their baby, his heart beat a little faster.

He couldn't wait for his child to come into the world. He'd never thought in a million years that he'd be a father. In fact, he stopped picturing a domestic life for himself all together after being a vampire for so many decades.

Bonnie began to stir in his arms. She groaned and slowly opened her eyes to the fire burning in front of her and the darkness that surrounded it. When she first came to new earth, she was afraid of its nights and the strange noises the animals that lurked in its darkness made, but she was now familiar with some of those animal sounds that she heard croaking and singing in the night air.

Zinnia had taught her well on their little night outings for the slug creatures that Zinnia enjoyed to dine on so much.

Bonnie rubbed her eyes and slowly sat up. She stared at Stefan's body lying across the way before looking up at Damon who wore a crooked little grin on his face. He tenderly rubbed her back and thread his fingers through her hair.

Bonnie slowly rose. She looked wantonly at him before drifting into him for a kiss. Her soft lips finally made contact with his. She gave him a sensual peak on the lips. Bonnie then gradually pulled away from him, looking him reflectively in the eyes as she went.

Damon ran the back of his fingers over her warm cheek. He wondered how he could be so taking with Bonnie in a time like this. She was the epitome of sexy to him as she sat propped up on her hands, leaning into him with an alluring look in her eyes.

"Did you sleep well?" he croaked out.

"Yes," she answered unsurely.

"Mhm, you had nightmares about Stefan's body? Didn't you?"

"No." She sighed loudly, "Yes," she answered under her breathe as she nervously cut her eyes everywhere but on Damon.

He let out a low chuckle as he ran his fingers through her hair.

Bonnie threw herself into his chest and closed her eyes. "Don't say it."

"I told you so."

"I said don't say it," she griped.

"Try to get some rest. I'm sure it will take a little more time before Stefan comes to."

Bonnie wriggled in his arms, trying to make herself more comfortable. She tightly closed her lids, shutting out the noises of the forest.

Damon rested his head over Bonnie's. He closed his eyes, resting them as he had been on look out all night.

Stefan began to lightly stir. He didn't make a peep as he rose slowly away from the ground, the white sheet still over his head. "Uhhhh, uh, uh, uh," he moaned groggily.

Bonnie slowly peeled open her eyes, seeing a ghostly Stefan before her. She screamed at the top of her lungs and jumped to her feet.

"What?! What?!" Stefan flashed from underneath the cover, taking a defensive stance.

Damon shook his head and widened his eyes hilariously at the spectacle playing out in front of him. "Really, Stefan?" he fussed.

"Stefan? What the hell is wrong with you?" Bonnie shouted, panting as she tightly clutched her top.

"What did I do? Can a guy come back to life?" he asked seriously.

"This was supposed to be an epic moment where Bonnie and I run up to you, hug you, and shout, Stefan you're alive! Oh, thank God! Bonnie would cry a river of tears while I act all mucho and tough, fighting back the tears I know I really want to cry. You ruined everything!" Damon shouted.

"Well… shit. I'm sorry," Stefan answered disappointedly. "I can get back under the sheet and do it again." He was utterly serious, no sneering.

Bonnie and Damon looked at each other before bursting into a fit of laughter.

"Welcome back, bro," Damon said coolly and hurried over to Stefan. He took him into a warm embrace.

Watching Damon and Stefan hold each other so lovingly, instantly made Bonnie an emotional pregnant mess.

"Stefan, you're back," she said, still sobbing as she walked over to the brothers, wrapping her arms around them.

Damon and Stefan opened their arms, enveloping Bonnie into their strong embrace. They all stood, holding each other a long while. Stefan didn't want to detach himself from Bonnie's warmness or his brother's strong grasp. He wished that every day he could wake up to his brother's strong bear hugs, and Bonnie's gentle and warm arms.

Stefan then keyed in on another beautiful thing in this fleeting inescapable moment, the baby's heartbeat.

It was strong, sleep inducing, and relaxing to his soul. He almost envied his brother for getting to fall asleep every night to such beautiful music. His mind began to drift off into a calmness as the thumbing of the baby's heartbeat song to him.

"Let's go to sleep like this," he said, breaking through their tranquil moment.

"Really? Because my feet hurt," Damon answered, shattering the serene moment all to pieces.

"Thanks a lot, Damon," Stefan fused.

"Yeah, Damon," Bonnie added.

They lightly laughed at their exchange before slowly pulling away from each other. Bonnie's and Damon's eyes immediately darted to Stefan's stitching. Damon stared dazedly at it, causing Stefan to feel insecure.

Stefan placed his hand over the injury, a sad look in his eyes. "Take these out."

Bonnie looked at Damon. He was spellbound. "Damon," she called, next, trying to get his attention.

Damon didn't flinch, he continued to look at the part of Stefan's wound that wasn't covered by his hand.

"Damon," Stefan called, again, as he lightly nudged his brother's shoulder.

"Huh? What?" Damon answered, shaking himself out of his trance.

"Remove my stitching."

"I'll get the knife," Bonnie added, then went to their things.

"Come on. I'll take care of you," Damon said as he placed his hand on his brother's back, leading him over to the warmth and the light of the fire. Stefan took a seat on the ground and Damon crouched down next to him.

Bonnie handed him the knife. Damon looked down at the blade and swallowed. He slowly lifted the knife to Stefan's neck. He swallowed, again, and then began. "Let me know if this hurts."

"Okay," Stefan mumbled.

Damon gently cut into the stitching and immediately flash backs of the vampires tearing into his brother's flesh began to play out in his mind. He froze up on the spot. Bonnie looked oddly at Damon as she sat crouched down beside him. She could see that Damon was uncomfortable with the task.

"Here, let me," she said as she lightly touched Damon's hand.

"Huh? What?" Damon flashed Bonnie a wide eyed look.

"Here, let me," she said, again, then smiled.

Damon tried to hand Bonnie the knife, but she wrapped her hands loosely around Stefan's neck instead. She closed her eyes and chanted underneath her breathe. The acrylic vanished into thin air, and all that was left were the tiny wounds caused by the stitches, and they healed and vanished just as quickly as the stitches had disappeared. Bonnie gradually opened her eyes, a crooked little grin crept across her lips. She was pleased with her work.

"Whoa," Damon whispered as he roughly pushed his brother's head from side to side, inspecting it and scrutinizing over his now completely healed and scar free neck. "Wow, it's as if the entire execution never happened. There's not one single trace of your wound," he explained, amazingly, still pushing Stefan's head from one side to the other.

"I'm a vampire. That's what we do, heal," Stefan said sarcastically, "Now, can you stop handling my head?"

"Oops… my bad." Damon waggled his eyes at Stefan before taking a seat back up against the rock facing.

"Do you…" Bonnie trailed off as she held her wrist up to Stefan's mouth.

"No, I'm good."

"How are you feeling, Stefan?" Bonnie asked as she walked over to Damon, taking a seat beside him.

Stefan scooted up against the wall, too, looking at the fire with a contemplative gaze. He pushed his legs up off the ground, rested his elbows on his knees, and linked his hands together in front of him.

He couldn't recall how it looked when the vampires tore into his flesh, but he remembered how it felt. But those vivid thoughts went away just as fast as they came when he remembered his brother sitting in the crowd, smiling back at him. Though a tiny brokenhearted smile it was, it made that horrendous time in his short distant past easier to bear and get through.

Stefan looked at Damon, then briefly at Bonnie before looking back at Damon. "I think I'm going to be okay," he said, then grinned.

He then looked off into the darkness. He began to think of Keme and his widow, Abena, "But I will always remember how I made, Keme, feel, and now even more so because of what happened to me," he said somberly.

Damon and Bonnie looked sadly at Stefan, then at each other.

"Stefan." Damon inhaled. "If you want… I can erase your memory?"

"Damon," Bonnie called, a disbelieving look in her eyes. He turned and looked at her before grabbing her hand and clutching it tightly.

"No, I want to remember what I did. The only way you can learn from your mistakes is to remember them."

Bonnie smiled at Stefan's response.

"Okay, I can respect that," Damon said, then flashed Stefan a crooked grin.

A silence fell between them. There was nothing but the crackling of the fire and the animals' croaking and singing in the darkness. Bonnie threaded her arms through and around Damon's right arm and rested her head on his shoulder and yawned. Damon laid his head over hers and closed his eyes. Everything was right as rain now that his brother had awoken.

Stefan looked at Bonnie and Damon, smiling. He thought that they were adorable. "Goodnight, you two. I'll take the first watch," he announced.

"Aww, he thinks he has a choice," Damon said, then lowly chuckled, Bonnie followed.

Stefan chuckled as he drifted back against the wall. The last twenty four hours of his life were horrific, but being here, in this inescapable and exhilarating moment with the one person that he loved more than himself, surpassed all of that.

~ ( - ) ~

Bonnie and the fellows were up at the first light of day. Stefan took a swim in the creek whilst Damon warmed a little water over the fire for tea. Bonnie greedily ate her sweet role whilst she watched Stefan swim.

After boiling the water for tea, Damon began to pack up some of their things. He loaded the few items that he had packed up onto the horses. Whilst he secured their belongings to their animals, he looked back at Stefan and Bonnie as they played. A loving grin crept across his lips as he watched them. Stefan would splash water up on the bank at Bonnie, and she would laugh, squeal, and throw pieces of her sweet role at him in retaliation.

It was still surreal to Damon to see Stefan in the flesh instead of in his dreams or in flashbacks in his head. He had thought on many a day of asking Bonnie to send him back home for Stefan because he wanted to start a new life with his brother here on new earth.

He couldn't believe that he was willing to leave Mystic Falls, the place that was his home for over a century. But Gardenia was a fresh new start for him. His past didn't follow him here. He was well liked, and he had come to really care about the people of Gardenia, too.

Damon watched Bonnie and Stefan for a second before walking over to them. He was in his brown pants, leather footwear, bare chested, his hands on his hips, wearing an affectionate grin on his face, Beads of sweat were sprinkled over the middle of his chest and across his brow as it was the usual sweltering day in Gardenia.

Seeing Stefan be so happy made Damon feel comfortable about telling his brother that he and Bonnie were engaged. He wanted to tell Stefan the night before, but he was completely overwhelmed about Stefan's wellbeing to gloat about his own good fortune, and this was new for Damon.

He was once the brother that gloated to his brother about how he got the girl. The very girl that Stefan loved with the burning passion of a thousand suns, but he didn't care because he won, and that was all that used to matter to Damon, winning.

But now, things were different. He didn't feel comfortable gloating about his happiness, knowing that his brother was hurting. Damon was actually evolving into a wonderful being.

He now actually thought about his choices. He actually gave deep thought about if the decisions he made were right or wrong. Damon didn't want to watch his brother die. He didn't want the discomfort of seeing Stefan being ripped apart in front of his very eyes.

But he did it because it was what Stefan wanted, and Stefan didn't have to tell him this for him to know. He could see the devastation in his brother's face when he said no, and his mind played back repeatedly how disappointed Bonnie looked at him when he confirmed to her that he wouldn't be there. Thinking about how his actions affected those around him, helped to simplify Damon's decision making process.

He was now acknowledging his remorse instead of masking it in horrible choices like murdering individuals who reminded him of what a monster he was, but he wasn't this man, not anymore.

Damon walked over to Bonnie, taking his giggling fiancé into his arms as he wrapped them around her waist, snuggling her backside gently against his rock hard peaks. He ran his hands over her yellow, thin, long sleeved short dress which revealed her perfectly toned legs. He gently kissed her cheek, taking in the floral scent of her warm skin.

He couldn't resist touchy her pregnant belly. He loved Bonnie's warm little belly. Bonnie threw an arm over her shoulder and gently rubbed Damon's face as she closed her eyes and leaned even closer to his body. She then turned her gaze to his as she puckered up her lips and pushed Damon's face closer to hers.

They gave each other sensual peaks on the lips, repeatedly as Bonnie ran her fingers through the hair at the back of his head, and Damon continued to gently rub her belly.

Stefan gushed all the while at them as he hovered in the water. "Bonnie, are you going to marry my brother or what?" he loudly announced.

Bonnie and Damon pulled hurriedly away from their loving exchange and flashed Stefan a wondering look.

"How…how did you know?" Damon asked with a puzzling expression as he narrowed his eyes peculiarly at his brother.

"Duh, after you two had sex, you popped the question."

Damon rolled his eyes. He was suddenly annoyed by his baby brother. "I think it's time you move out," he joked, then waggled his eyes at Stefan.

Stefan and Bonnie laughed.

"You think I should marry your brother?" Bonnie asked cutely.

"Yes, you should marry him."

"Ew, why?" Bonnie questioned.

Damon laughed.

"Because he's a great guy, and he loves and adores you, Bonnie. You guys bring out the best in each other," Stefan answered in a serious, pleading tone.

"Mmm, well I don't think he's all that great. I think I can do better." Bonnie shrugged.

Damon could hardly contain his laughter as he stood beside Bonnie, his arm over her shoulder, a huge kilowatt grin on his face. His pale blue eyes beamed with joy as they darted back and forth from Bonnie to Stefan.

"Bonnie, are you toying with me?" Stefan asked with a raised brow.

"Mm, no," she answered coolly, shaking her head.

"She said yes, didn't she?" Stefan flashed his brother a suspicious look.

"She did," Damon answered before kissing Bonnie's cheek.

"I hate the both of you."

~ ( - ) ~

An hour and a half later, they were clicks away from the gates of Gardenia, Bonnie rode cozily in front of Damon and Stefan rode alongside them.

Bonnie rested her head and back against Damon's broad chest. She closed her eyes and meditated on the up down motion of the animal as it walked along. She let her mind go blank. She had not a care in the world.

Damon sniffed her hair and kissed the back of her head occasionally. He navigated his animal with one hand loosely holding the strap whilst he smooched and caressed Bonnie with his free hand.

As they rode along, sadness befell Damon. They would soon have to leave Gardenia for Mystic Falls. He felt like this was the only way that he could protect Bonnie and his unborn child. His eyes twinkled as if a lightbulb had come on inside of him.

_Shing couldn't defeat Bonnie. Surely, he won't return to Gardenia, knowing he can't defeat her, right_? He thought.

Damon began to think that maybe his decision to make a hasty get away for home was not the way to go. His mind then went back into time when he and Bonnie first landed on new earth. They had a very rough landing. He widened his eyes in horror when he thought about that same thing happening to them when they returned home.

He figured that there was no way a fall like that could be good for Bonnie and the baby.

"Bonnie, I was thinking."

"Whoa, it's been awhile since you've done that," Stefan mocked.

Damon rolled his eyes and tilted his head to the heavens, annoyed with Stefan's remark.

"Anyway," he enunciated. "Maybe we should stay, and return after the baby is born."

"Mhm, and why?" Bonnie asked with a raised brow.

"For starters… the landed we had when we first arrived here."

"Sss, eww." Bonnie frowned.

"But even if you wait until the baby's born, you're still going to run into the same problem," Stefan added.

"How so?" Damon inquired.

"Because then you will have to worry about the baby's wellbeing."

"Shit."

"We can make something to protect the baby," Bonnie suggested.

Damon looked out into the world in thought for a second, then agreed. "Problem solved," he said, then grinned.

Stefan shrugged and Bonnie smiled proudly for coming up with such a grand idea.

Stefan soon lost his smile when he saw the gates of Gardenia ahead. He began to feel anxious about returning because of what he had done and for being executed in front of all the town's people. He loudly sighed.

Damon looked over at his brother and wrinkled his brow. "You're broody, Stefan."

Stefan looked back at Damon, a somber look on his face. "I'm fine." He exhaled.

"I know what this is about. You're feeling embarrassed about what happened to you, but don't. These people won't care about what happened yesterday." Damon looked seriously at his brother, hoping his pep talk would work.

"Of course, they're going to remember. I killed one of their own."

"…and you also saved four of their own, too. These people are forgiving if nothing else. Everything will be fine, Stefan," Bonnie added.

Their horses finally trotted pass the gates. Stefan hung his head low in an effort to avoid eye contact with anyone.

Damon observed Stefan with a bemusing expression, then at the people, and just as he had suspected, the people didn't care that Stefan was back, and they weren't frightened by his presences either. There were some who rolled their eyes at Stefan, but they continued on with their chores.

"Oh, my God, Stefan, they're carrying pitch forks and torches and they're coming this way," Damon said excitedly.

Bonnie's eyes darted up at Damon. She flashed him her dazzling smile.

"What?" Stefan answered nervously and fitfully looked around him. He instantly noticed the town's people doing anything but paying him the upmost attention. "You are so full of shit," he fussed.

Damon and Bonnie laughed.

They were finally at the front door of their little villa. Damon jumped off of his animal first and Bonnie leapt off the horse and down into his arms.

"Home sweet home," Bonnie chimed before rushing inside.

Damon and Stefan unloaded the horses and entered the house soon after Bonnie. They walked in to see Bonnie excited about something sitting on the kitchen table. Tupac left a care package of flowers, sweet breads, fruits, cheese, wine, and a bag of blood along with a note for Stefan.

"Whoa," Damon responded with a wide eyed expression.

Stefan looked over the treats with a furrowed brow.

"Stefan, this is for you," Bonnie said after grabbing the note from the table and rushing it over to him.

_**Stefan, **_

_**I would like to express my deepest remorse for all that you have gone through here in our lovely town of Gardenia. Though horrible mistakes have been made, I still believe that you are a wonderful fellow, and I hope that you will remain in our beautiful city. **_

_**Respectfully, Tupac Shakur**_

_**P.S. Please find a bag of my blood as a peace offering, and to ensure that your head remains attached to your body. **_

Stefan immediately burst into a fit of laughter after reading the note. He crashed down on the couch, clutching his gut as tears of joy streamed down his face.

"What the hell?" Damon questioned inquisitively. He snatched the note from Stefan's hand and quickly read over it.

Damon lightly chuckled. "Yes, Stefan, please oblige us all by drinking from a blood bag," he mocked.

"Oh, my God," Stefan shouted, trying to gain his composure. "His name is, Tupac Shakur!" he burst into a fit of laughter, again.

Damon looked at his brother with a wrinkled brow, then at Bonnie. They stared at each other for a second before recalling the night when they, too, first learned Tupac's sir name. They were now all clutching their guts and falling all over themselves with laughter.

There was soon a knock at the door. Bonnie collected herself enough to walk over and answer it. She opened the door to none other than Zinnia and Tupac.

Bonnie covered her mouth, and flashed them a guilty look.

"You all are in good spirits," Tupac said as he stepped inside their home, smiling.

"I'm in the mood for a good joke," Zinnia said, then flashed them a loving grin.

"Oh, oh, whew!" Damon loudly grunted as he tried to sober himself. "It's nothing, really," he said, smiling.

"Stefan, do you like my gifts, and my little joke?" Tupac inquired cockily.

"Yes, Tupac, Tupac Shakur. I love your joke," Stefan answered in a raised voice, then bit down on a giggle.

"Bonnie, how are you feeling? How is the baby?" Zinnia rushed to Bonnie's side.

"We're both doing great, and I have really great news," Bonnie replied excitedly as she took Zinnia by the hands. "Damon and I, are getting married, and we want to be married here."

"Yes!" Zinnia yelled. "Tupac, they're getting married!"

"I'm right here, darling. I heard," Tupac answered then looked at Damon and they grinned at each other.

"This is so wonderful! I'm going to plan the biggest and most luxurious wedding the town has ever seen for you and Damon!"

"…and who's going to pay for all of this?" Tupac frowned.

"So, when do you and Damon want to get married?" she asked eagerly, ignoring her husband's question.

"Uhhh," Bonnie searched for the words as she looked over at Damon, who was wearing a smoldering expression.

"Whenever you want," he answered sweetly.

Bonnie gushed like a little girl at his response.

"Is tomorrow too soon?"

"Tomorrow's a little too soon, Bonnie," Zinnia answered and then laughed. "I can prepare the most exquisite wedding in seven days," she added.

"Damon?"

"Hey, you're the boss," he held his hands up in surrender, then smiled at Bonnie.

"Good answer," Tupac said, then chuckled.

"Bonnie's got my brother well trained," Stefan added, and he and Tupac sniggered.

"Oh, I better go! There's so much to do and so little time to do it in!" Zinnia announced excitedly, then tried to run out the door.

"Zinnia, wait!" Bonnie shouted.

"Yes."

"I have one request," Bonnie responded.

"Yes."

"I want to get married down by the creek, the one by the cave," Bonnie stated in a timid voice before looking back at Damon, who was awe struck over her request.

They stared at each other with a loving and powerful gaze. The creek was their spot. It was the place where their souls first intertwined. It was the place where they had unknowingly conceived their child, and one day, they would have to leave the creek behind.

Bonnie didn't even bother to ask Damon for his approval. She knew that Damon would want to marry her by the creek, the most enchanting place on new earth.

"By the creek it is," Zinnia answered sweetly, then flashed out of the house.

Tupac stayed behind. The room fell silent. Bonnie and Damon stared affectionately at each other and Stefan and Tupac stared happily at them.

Damon inhaled, internally bringing himself back to reality. "Tupac, is there something else?" he asked.

"Oh, oh, yes. Stefan, Abena needs some help around the house. She has a leak in the roof, and she needs help in the garden."

"I'm on it," Stefan answered as he got to his feet. He walked over to the door and then waited for Tupac.

"Bonnie, Damon, congratulations. How about dinner tonight at my home to celebrate?"

"We'll be there," Damon answered.

"Can I come too?" Stefan asked.

"Of course. Make sure you bring your blood bag," Tupac teased as he patted Stefan on the back.

Stefan rolled his eyes. "Sure, Tupac Shakur," he looked at Damon and they sniggered. "See you guys later!" he added, then left.

Bonnie looked at Damon as she pushed her shoulders happily into her neck. She rushed over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"We're getting married," she squealed.

"I can't wait for you to be my wife." Damon wrapped his arms around Bonnie and cradled her tightly to him. He rocked them in place as he lay his head on top of hers.

Bonnie closed her eyes and smiled as her head lay flat against Damon's chest. They remained this way for several moments before Bonnie realized how sleepy she was. She couldn't fully rest the night before because she was so worried about Stefan.

Bonnie yawned in Damon's arms. He ran his fingers through her hair, then smiled down at her. "Someone's sleepy," he said as he took her by the shoulders.

"Yeah, a little."

"Go get some rest. You don't want to be tired tonight at Tupac's."

"Yeah, you're right."

Damon took Bonnie by the hand and led her to their bedroom. Bonnie crawled across the bed and Damon slide on the side of it. He pulled the thin sheet over Bonnie, then sat on the side of the bed next to her.

"Are you tucking me in?" Bonnie asked hilariously.

"Yes…and?"

"I'm not a baby."

"But you're having my baby."

"This is true," she replied.

"I'm getting in practice for our little one," he stated.

"…and here I am thinking you were being all protective of me," she replied.

Damon smiled as he looked yearningly down at her. "…and there's that too, but if you want me to stop…," here he stopped.

"No, don't ever stop tucking me in. I can get used to this," Bonnie replied in a sweet, yet serious tone.

"Bonnie likes to be tucked in, check," Damon responded, then grinned. "Now, get some rest. I'm going to clear away our things, then go check on Stefan. Monkey man, is outside, so I know you're in good hands."

"He's here?" Bonnie cocked her brow curiously.

"Yes. Can't you hear him gobbling up the fruit you left for him?"

They laughed. "I'll see you later. I love you," she declared.

"I love you, too." Damon kissed Bonnie on the forehead, nose, and lips, but oddly, he couldn't leave. He sat on the side of the bed until Bonnie fell asleep.

**~ (Bonnie's nightmare) ~**

"Bonnie, why won't you wash my clothes?" Stefan asked.

"Am I married to you, Stefan?"

"That's not what I asked you," Stefan replied.

Damon loudly chuckled.

"I see how you are. I was going to make you a special treat for desert tonight, but you can forget it."

"You… know how to cook?"

"Abena, shared a family recipe with me that I wanted to make for you, but now,"

"Don't worry, Bon Bon. You're not missing much," Damon joked, and Bonnie laughed. "You smell that? Smells like burning flesh?" he frowned.

"_Yeah, it does," Stefan replied. "Wait here," he rushed out, then flashed through the thicket. _

"_Oh, my God," Stefan said in horror, his eyes like saucers as he looked at the devastation before him. He flashed back to Bonnie and Damon. "The city's been attacked!" he yelled. _

_Bonnie and Damon looked at each other in horror, then took off. Damon clutched Bonnie's hand tightly as they jogged quickly through the woods. Within minutes, they were at the gates of Gardenia. _

_Bonnie and Damon ran through the gates, seeing burning buildings, debris, and dead bodies everywhere. _

_They then spotted Tao, kneeling over his mother's dead body. They hurried over to him. _

"_Tao! Tao! Talk to me! What happened?!" Damon yelled as he violently shook his bloody and badly injured friend._

"_That wizard, he came back. He said as long as Bonnie remains in our world, we'll never know peace," he mumbled as he looked down at his mother's lifeless body in shock. _

"_Oh, God," Bonnie whispered in horror as she backed away from Tao and Damon. She then looked around the town, hoping to find Zinnia and the children, but what she found, were the mangled remains of Tupac, his children, and Zinnia crying over their dead bodies. _

"_No, No, No, NOOOOO!" she screamed. _

Bonnie ripped herself away from her nightmare, screaming. She looked out into the room, a devastated look in her wide eyes as her chest rapidly rose and fell.

"No, no," she said gravely.

Bonnie drifted slowly back down to the mattress. She blinked her eyes, squeezing out tears. The tears streamed down her temples. She was shattered by what she had seen in her vision. Her presence in Gardenia, the place she now called her home away from home would undoubtedly be destroyed because of her.

"I can't let these people die because of me."

Bonnie began to search her mind. She couldn't stay and have her child in Gardenia like she and Damon had hoped.

She then wondered how she could convince Damon that they needed to return home without telling him the truth as to why. Bonnie knew if she told him about the dream, Damon would want to go right then and there.

But even with the town's impending doom hanging over her head, she still wanted to be married in Gardenia. Her vision had already revealed to her that she and Damon would already be man and wife before Shing invaded the town.

"Shing, must have a way of seeing where I am at any given moment?" she questioned fearfully under her breathe as she looked blankly at the ceiling.

Bonnie quickly sat up in bed. She rushed to her bedroom window. She stuck her head out and looked around her home. She was expecting to see someone suspicious lurking around outside, but nothing. She stared out her window for half an hour and nothing peculiar every happened.

Bonnie stepped back in to the room. She folded her arms over her chest. She looked pensively down at her toe as she traced invisible circles in the wood. The last thing she wanted was to be weighted down with such serious issues days before she was to be married.

"Hey, you're awake," Damon greeted.

Bonnie's eyes darted over to Damon as he stood in the doorway, his hand on the frame of the entrance, and a knee pushed out in front of him. He was wearing the most adorable smile.

Damon furrowed his brow once noticing the preoccupied look in Bonnie's eyes. "Are you okay?"

"I'm great. No… I'm better than great. I'm ecstatic."

"Mhm." Damon leaned against the door, crossed his arms over his chest, and folded his bottom lip between his teeth, a meditative look on his face.

"You're lying to me, Bon Bon."

Bonnie flashed him a guilty look. Shit, she said in thought. "Okay, I was thinking about something, but I will only tell you, if you promise not to be angry with me." She paused and pondered over what she wanted to say.

Damon stared contemplatively at her for a second, his eyes squinted. "I'm listening," he answered as he strolled over to the bed, then sat down.

Bonnie sighed before taking a seat next to him. "I really want to have the baby at home, in Mystic Falls."

Damon looked blankly out into the room, letting her words sink into his awareness.

"Okay, and may I ask why?"

"Me, returning home with a baby is going to be a shock to everyone."

"…and you being pregnant will be just as shocking to everyone as bringing home a baby," Damon argued.

"Not if I… take care of things," Bonnie answered hesitantly as she nervously cut her eyes up at Damon.

Damon's mouth went ajar and his eyes widened in disbelief.

"Don't you even dare try to pretend that this is not my kid, and don't even think about putting some hex on yourself, alluding everyone into thinking you're not pregnant," he demanded.

"Fine!" she yelled and roughly folded her arms over her front and turned her back to Damon.

Damon huffed and linked his hands together as he scooted to edge of the couch, putting distance between him and Bonnie.

The tension in the room was thick, but neither one of them wanted it to be this way. After several minutes of angry silence they both turned to one another.

"Bonnie."

"Damon."

They called in unison, then laughed at how ridiculous they were being.

"I'm sorry, Bonnie. I'm only thinking of your safety, and I don't want to play games. This is my child, and if Elena and Jeremy don't like it, that's not my problem."

Bonnie flashed Damon a stunned expression. She was both shocked and impressed with his response.

"I'm sorry, too, Damon. I only want to give everyone time to process that we're married and expecting a child together." She paused. "Jeremy and Elena, love us, and our relationship along with the fact that we're expecting a child will be devastating to them," she pleaded in a somber voice.

As Bonnie tried convincing Damon that they should return home, she began to realize just how much hers and Damon's relationship could affect her relationship with her friends back home.

After hearing Bonnie's reasoning, Damon, too, began to feel a little on edge about returning home a married man and with a baby on the way, and with Bonnie, no less. He didn't want to hurt Elena, but he didn't want to turn his back on Bonnie and his unborn child either. A part of him still loved Elena and he supposed that he would always love her at some capacity. He sighed as he looked down at his fidgeting hands. He then looked at Bonnie, his face unreadable.

"So, after we're married, you want to go back to Mystic Falls?" he asked with a raised brow.

Bonnie nodded.

Damon inhaled, "Okay." He flashed her a timid smile as he ran his hand over Bonnie's, intertwining their fingers. "Mystic Falls, here we come," he said, then drifted into her for a kiss.

Damon's lips softly pushed against Bonnie's, but she couldn't reciprocate the sweet gesture due to the great pain that suddenly befell her. She let out a deafening scream instead, alarming Damon. He widened his eyes in horror and froze up on the spot.

Bonnie doubled over in pain, rolled straight off the bed, and onto the floor. She laid on the flooring in a fetal position as she firmly clutched her belly and cried out in pain.

"Bonnie!" Damon shouted in horror before taking to her side. "Is it the baby? Is it the baby?" he rattled off fearfully.

"It's growing," Bonnie strained.

"Okay… okay, it's okay," he answered worriedly as he rubbed Bonnie's back and ran his fingers over her face. He felt powerless. He wanted badly to take away Bonnie's pain, but there was nothing he could do about a growing baby, so he set out to do what he could which was make her more comfortable. He grabbed a pillow off the bed, tucked it under her head, and took her by the hand.

Bonnie squeezed his hand tightly as she fought through the incredible searing pain of her violently twisting and cramping muscles.

"Take quick breathes, Bonnie. Think about anything but the pain," he suggested in a soothing voice.

"But it hurts so badly! I can't think about anything else!" Bonnie screamed, bursting Damon's eardrums.

"I know it hurts, but just try, Bon Bon."

"You're not the one being ripped apart by this kid! Shut up! Just shut up!" Bonnie screamed angrily.

Damon widened his eyes at Bonnie's response and flashed her a wounded facial expression. "I'm sorry."

"Uhhhh," Bonnie moaned and continued to squeeze Damon's hand as the discomfort began to lessen.

The pain had subsided after twelve long agonizing minutes later. Bonnie continued to lay on the floor in the fetal position with her eyes tightly shut, clutching her belly. Damon kneeled over Bonnie. He looked down on her with a worried facial expression as he tenderly rubbed her face with the back of his fingers.

His eyes darted down to her hands, covering her stomach. He trailed his fingers down her scorching, soft arm to her hands, then peeled them away from her belly. He was like a curious and anxious child, wondering into the mysterious unknown as he had his way with an unresponsive Bonnie.

Damon pulled her hands away, then lifted up her shirt. Bonnie's stomach was bigger than minutes before. Damon chuckled.

"Is it still in me?" Bonnie asked jokingly as she looked at Damon touching her.

"Most definitely." He paused. "I hope Zinnia hasn't bought you a wedding dress."

They looked at each other and laughed.

"Oh, my God, I am not that huge." Bonnie turned on her back and looked down at her belly. Her mouth widened in disbelief. "Oh my God! I'm huge!" she shouted excitedly.

"I think you're beautiful," he replied as he circled Bonnie's pregnant belly with his strong, steady hand.

Damon's hand followed the movements of his child as it turned inside of its mother. "You look about five months," he said sweetly as he rubbed her belly and carefully investigated it. "Damn it, Bonnie." Damon suddenly became frustrated.

"What?" she answered with a raised brow.

"We can't go back! You're huge! What if you land on your stomach?"

"I'm not huge! You said I was beautiful?" she fused.

"Bonnie." Damon shot her a deadpan look.

"I have magic, Damon. I'll be fine. Don't worry. We can do this. We have to do this, for us, for these people."

Damon cocked his brow curiously at her remark. "For these people?" he questioned.

Bonnie flashed him a guilty look.

"Bon Bon, what are you not telling me?"

"When I say these people… I mean, Caroline, Matt, Tyler, Jeremy."

Damon continued to look suspiciously at her. He wasn't sure if he believed Bonnie or not. The little voice in his head was telling him to investigate further, but Bonnie looked like a ray of sunshine, lying on the floor in front of him with her guilty little grin.

"Alright, Bon Bon. We'll do it your way."

"I promise you, everything is going to be okay," she assured.

"I know. I trust you," Damon answered, a stoic look on his face.

Bonnie looked at Damon with a pensive gaze. She had half a mind to make love to him right then and there. She then remembered all the pain she had just gone through which made her hate sex and Damon's penis in this particular moment. She looked down at the bulge in his pants and rolled her eyes.

Bonnie's focus went back to her unborn child moving inside of her. Although the baby's movements were downright uncomfortable, it still amazed her to know that life was growing inside of her all the same. Bonnie smiled as Damon showered her with affection. This moment gave her a glimpse of what married life with him would be like.

She then began to picture her wedding day with him. She wondered what type of dress Zinnia would pick out for her, and what Damon would wear, and what type of wedding traditions Gardenia had.

Bonnie's daydreams were soon brought to a screeching halt when visions of a dead Tupac and his children began to filter through her euphoric musings. Bonnie tensed up and nervously fidgeted on the floor. She unwaveringly fought to maintain her adorable smile.

"Help me off the floor?" she asked in a cracked voice.

Damon hurriedly hopped to his feet and took ahold of Bonnie's hands. He helped her to her feet, then led her to the living room.

"Here, sit down." Damon helped Bonnie down. He flashed her a dreamy-eyed look before running off to the kitchen for her a cup of water. He rushed the water back to Bonnie, then took a seat beside her.

"Do you trust me, Bonnie?" he asked in a low, husky voice, a disappointed look in his eyes.

Bonnie's eyes darted over to Damon. "I trust you with my life, my heart, Damon. You know that."

"So, why do I get the feeling you're hiding something from me?" he expressed passionately.

Bonnie looked down at her hand, a sad look in her eyes. She watched as her finger traced circles around her cup. She was risking the lives of all the people in Gardenia all because she wanted to be married by the creek. Gardenia had brought her and Damon together, and she couldn't think of anything more perfect than making their love official in the place where it all started.

"I had a vision."

"What did you see?"

Their conversation became more serious. The room suddenly didn't seem as bright to Bonnie anymore as she dazed out at it through the internal dark haze that filled her thoughts.

"Shing, he can see me, Damon. I don't know how he can, but he can see me. He wants me dead or away from this planet. He's seen the future, and apparently I'm a great threat to his existence," she explained numbly.

"What did you see, Bonnie?" Damon asked fearfully, again, then deeply swallowed as he prepared himself mentally for Bonnie to reveal her vision to him.

"In my vision, you, me, and Stefan, were away from the village, and Shing destroyed everything. He killed Tupac and his children, and Zinnia… Zinnia, she was leaned over their mangled bodies."

Damon ran his hands through his hair. This was not what he wanted to hear. He wanted these people to be safe. He was so sure that Shing wouldn't return to Gardenia after being defeated by Bonnie. "We have to leave tonight," he stated urgently.

Bonnie snatched her green, wide, unbelieving eyes to Damon. She knew that he would want to leave Gardenia the moment she told him the truth.

"No, we can't. I want to get married here. In my vision, we were already married. As long as I stay close to the village and the people, they will be okay," Bonnie pleaded.

"I don't know, Bonnie," Damon answered, not sparing her a glance.

Bonnie took his hand and clutched it tightly. "You said you trust me. Well trust me when I say that we can still be married here and that our friends will be okay."

"I do trust you, Bonnie, but being married here is not worth risking these people's lives for." Damon immediately slanted his brow at his own comment. _Did I just say that?_ He questioned in thought.

Bonnie sighed. She put her cup down on the table, sat back against the sofa, and then folded her legs underneath her bottom.

Damon leaned over to Bonnie. He trailed his finger across her forehead and sweep loose strands of hair away from her face. "You look so cute when you pout," he whispered.

Bonnie didn't answer. She continued to look at the window across the room.

Damon was put out with himself for breaking Bonnie's heart. He wondered when he had become the guy that played it safe. He used to be the guy that lived life right on the edge.

_What the hell is wrong with me? I am Damon Salvatore,_ he fussed internally with himself.

"Why does it matter where we get married? Isn't the most important thing is that we're together?" he asked seriously, flashing Bonnie a gloomy facial expression.

"It doesn't matter where we get married, Damon, but what if we never died together? What if we never ended up here in Gardenia? Would we have found our way to each other? Would I have ever had the courage to lay with you? Even though my unwavering loyalty to my friend and my conscience fought me every step of the way, I still laid with you." She paused.

Damon continued to look at her with a keen and concentrative gaze.

"When we made love in the cave by the creek, it was the most alive I've ever felt, and though I didn't want the baby at first, it still made me tingle inside knowing that the most beautiful thing I did in my life resulted with me having this little person growing inside of me." Bonnie looked down at her belly and tenderly rubbed it.

Damon was rendered speechless by her confession as water welled up in his eyes. "Fuck it. Let's get married by the creek," he rushed out in a cracked voice.

Bonnie looked slowly over at Damon through her glassed over eyes. Her lips curled up into her caramel cheek, forming a tiny smile. She leapt into his arms, causing them to crash down to the sofa. "I love you! I love you! I love you!" Bonnie squealed as she ran wild kisses all over his face. Damon let out an exaggerated laugh.

~ ( - ) ~

It was the day before the wedding, and whilst Bonnie was at her dress fitting, Damon and Stefan were out picking some of the verdant fruit to take back home.

"So this nasty looking fruit is what made it possible for you to impregnate Bonnie?" Stefan asked as he turned up his nose at the unappealing fruit.

"Yup," Damon replied as he picked up some of the fruit from off the ground.

"I wonder if it's healing affects are permanent?"

"I don't know which is why I'm taking so much of it back with me."

Stefan laughed. "How long do you think this fruit will last, and you really think Bonnie will give you more little rug rats?"

"She might. She loves me. I love her. We love our baby. Who knows? She may want more."

"Well, I'm glad you have someone who loves you enough to give you babies," Stefan replied with a hint of sadness in his voice.

Damon looked over at his brother, his brow furrowed. This was one of those moments when Damon regretted dating Elena. He knew this moment would come but he never thought that it would come so soon. He'd wish that he could support Stefan's and Elena's reunion, but he didn't feel comfortable with them being in a relationship together.

Elena was now like Lexi and his uncle Zack. She was a painful reminder of the horrible things that he had done to Stefan. A big part of him wanted Elena to go away. Damon's new way of dealing with his mistakes were to push away the people and the things that reminded him of his wrong doings. He realized that this wasn't a healthy way to deal with his problems either, but he was dealing with things the best way he knew how.

"Stefan, you will find someone special. You will love again," he preached, hoping his words would comfort his brother. He was determined to avoid mentioning Elena's name at all cost.

"I don't know, Damon. It's just not in me to love again," Stefan replied, then lazily bent down and collected some more of the fruit.

"What about, Caroline?" Damon inquired.

Stefan laughed. "Caroline, thinks… she loves me."

"She's got it bad for you, Stefan. Anyone with eyes can see it."

"I don't feel that way about her, Damon, so stop trying to push her off on me," Stefan replied, annoyed. "Plus she's Elena's friend."

Damon frowned. "Bonnie's, Elena's friend too," he answered defensively.

"I'm not frowning up at yours and Bonnie's relationship, Damon, and besides, you two are right for each other. You make it each other whole."

"Okay, so you don't like, Caroline that way, but don't tell me that there's not some hot girl in our galaxy or in this one who isn't right for you?"

Stefan sighed before flashing his brother a serious look. He wanted Damon to be right. He wanted to believe that there was someone in the world that would be the perfect match for him, but his heart wouldn't let him believe it. Stefan knew that Damon wasn't about to let him give up, so he decided right then and there to at least try to have faith, if not for himself, for his brother.

"Okay, Damon. What would you have me do?"

"Go out on dates. Have lots of sex until the right girl comes along. Hell, eat some of this fruit. Marry the first girl you see and knock her up and worry about love later. Just tear down those walls and live your life, Stefan. Stop sulking over this one girl, because that's the only way love is going to find you."

Stefan stared at his brother with a deadpan look on his face. He didn't have the heart to tell Damon how shitty his advice was. He was merely happy that Damon was alive to give him his shitty advice. Stefan looked down at the fruit in his hand for several seconds then took a bite.

Damon flashed his brother an affectionate grin. "It's good, right?"

"En." Stefan frowned, and Damon laughed.

~ ( - ) ~

It took hours for Zinnia and the ladies to get Bonnie's gown just right, but they were finally successful. Zinnia showed Bonnie the flowers that she had picked out to decorate the wedding sight and they laid out a wide arrangement off foods for Bonnie and Damon to sample for their big day.

Whilst Bonnie waited for Damon to arrive, she looked at the varied selection of necklaces that laid on the table, trying to decide which one she wanted to wear with her gown. None of the jewels pleased her like the beautiful sapphire necklace that Damon had given to her before they started dating. Though it was a simple necklace, it was the most beautiful thing in the world to her because it was a gift from him.

Bonnie's mantra of enchanted thoughts soon drifted to ones darker in nature. She couldn't help but wonder how her friends would receive her once she returned. She mostly cared about what Jeremy and Elena would think and how they'd take the news of hers and Damon's relationship.

But what nagged her mostly, was how Damon would react to seeing Elena, again. No matter how many times he had tried to convince her not to worry, she couldn't help but be apprehensive about Damon and Elena seeing each other, again. Bonnie figured enough time hadn't really gone by for Elena to move on (she believed).

She then laughed internally at herself. She and Damon had moved on and fell in love with each other in just a short time, so of course it was possible.

"But when it's right, it's right," Bonnie whispered, then smiled.

"Bonnie, are you okay?" Zinnia asked.

"Yeah, I'm okay." Bonnie forced herself to smile.

"Are you sure? You look flushed."

"I just have a lot on my mind."

"What's bothering you? You know you can always talk to me," Zinnia sweetly offered.

She took Bonnie by the hand and walked her over to the chairs. She directed Bonnie to sit down beside her.

"I know, Damon loves me, but I'm afraid of how he will react to seeing, Elena, again." Bonnie looked at Zinnia with a troubled look in her eyes.

"Well, it can go one of two ways. Once he sees her, I'm sure all those feelings will all come rushing back, but it will be the things he does days after seeing her that will reveal where his heart truly lies, but I'm convinced, Bonnie, that Damon loves you, and I know that what he feels for you is unbreakable," Zinnia expressed confidently.

"You really think so?" Bonnie lightly cried through the words.

"I do, Bonnie, and please don't cry." Zinnia wrapped her arms around Bonnie and squeezed her tightly to her. Zinnia then pulled away and took Bonnie's face into her hands. She looked sweetly at her as she smiled. "You have such a beautiful heart, Bonnie. This is your time to shine."

Bonnie smiled, then giggled.

The quiet room was soon filled with loud laughter and banter as Damon, Stefan, Tupac, Tao, and Cheyenne entered the building.

Bonnie happily watched Damon with the guys as they took to the other corner of the room. Damon finally caught her eye. He tried escaping the group but Tupac hurriedly pulled him back in.

"Where are you going, my friend? I have to teach you our wedding traditions," Tupac said eagerly.

"Just let me say hello to, Bonnie, and I'll be right back," Damon rushed out then flashed around. He lost his smile once he discovered that Bonnie was no longer there. He spotted a door across the room slowly closing. He flashed to it, only to have it shut in his face. Damon then anxiously knocked on the door. He hadn't seen Bonnie all day. When he and Stefan left that morning, she was still asleep.

"Yes, may I help you?" Zinnia answered after opening the door.

Damon didn't answer as he tried pushing pass Zinnia and into the room.

"Damon, you cannot enter this room," she answered sternly, then let out a disbelieving chuckle.

"Please. I haven't seen Bonnie, all day."

"…and I feel sorry for you, but we are discussing womanly things and you may not enter. Now good day," she explained, then closed the door in Damon's face.

He looked sourly at the door and then frowned. Damon slowly turned around, finding all eyes in the room on him.

"I told you he was whipped," Stefan said and they all laughed.

"Fuck," Damon murmured, a disappointed look on his face.

"Stop frowning. You're getting married tomorrow. Now come on, let me cram hundreds of years of tradition into your brain in one afternoon," Tupac rushed out.

~ ( - ) ~

It was the day of the wedding, and either Damon or Bonnie could sleep a wink. They both tossed and turned in bed all night long. Bonnie's eyes finally became too heavy for her own enthusiasm for her big day, but not Damon.

He lied in bed, stark naked, Bonnie in his arms and her scorching toned thigh stretched across his. He looked affectionately down at Bonnie as she laid sound asleep in his arms. He was anxious for his lips to be on some parts of her body so he leaned into her forehead and kissed it sweetly. He let his lips linger against her skin longer than he should have.

His innocent touch inadvertently stimulated the sexual urges that he had suppressed for so long. Before Damon knew it, his hand was on his cock, slowly stroking it with his strong hand. He closed his eyes and imagined himself inside of Bonnie, and it wasn't that hard for him to imagine since her hot breasts were snug against his cool physique.

Bonnie wouldn't let him make love to her before their wedding. Zinnia had filled her head with Gardenia's superstitions and traditions which had Bonnie spooked. She was already anxious about returning home and the possibility of Shing attacking the city, so it was important to Damon to be a good boy for Bonnie, and her sanity, so sadly, masturbation was his only option.

As Damon intently stroked himself, he wondered if his brother was lying in bed listening to him. He hoped like hell that he wasn't. He'd already felt some type of way about jerking himself off on his wedding day with his soon to be wife asleep in his arms.

As Damon stroked himself, a warm feeling began to well up inside of him.

"Fuck," Damon lowly moaned as he jerked himself a little faster.

"Damon," Bonnie groggily called. Damon's strong movements had woken Bonnie from her slumber.

"AH!" he shouted and ripped himself brutally away from the bed. "What the hell?" he questioned breathlessly.

"Really, Damon? You couldn't wait until after we were married?"

"It's been eight days and seven nights since we've been together," he argued.

"Aww, you poor baby," Bonnie said cutely before grabbing his arm and pulling him back down to the bed.

Damon laid back down and Bonnie laid her head on his chest.

"I'm really horny, Bonnie, and you laying your naked body on top of me is not helping," Damon hissed.

Bonnie lightly chuckled as she cut her eyes seductively at him. She then trailed her fingers down his chest, to his stomach, then to his manhood.

Damon deeply swallowed as Bonnie wrapped her warm, thin fingers around his semi hardness.

"What about tradition?" he nervously croaked out as he looked down at her hand caressing him.

"Their tradition didn't say a woman couldn't help her guy rub one out," Bonnie said coyly, flashing him a lustful grin.

"You are so bad. I think I'm rubbing off on you." Damon bit his bottom lip and waggled his eyes at her.

Bonnie kissed Damon's bare chest with her soft lips whilst she continued to stroke his cock. She applied a little more pressure to him and began to move her hand a little faster over him.

Damon moaned deliriously as he fisted the sheets up into his strong grip. He curled up his toes and madly lowered and lifted his head as Bonnie's warm hand rapidly and powerfully caressed him.

The light of day had yet to appear in the sky, and here they were, on their wedding day, enjoying an incredible intimate moment. This was their one last forbidden hurrah before they were legally joined together.

Bonnie quickly sat up on the bed as Damon's husky grunts grew louder and closer together. She feverishly massaged his balls with one hand and rapidly stroked his long, engorged cock with the other.

Bonnie couldn't believe what she was doing.

She was always so shy about sex, but being with Damon brought out the kinkiness in her. With him she was always striving to make their sex life even more exciting.

It was that great push and pull relationship between her and Damon that made her want to do and be better.

A wonderful feeling began to churn in the pit of Damon's stomach, once again, tickling his senses. He desperately wanted his sweet nectar to flow from him and right into Bonnie, but her hand milking that wonderful feeling along was the next best thing.

"Ahhh, uh, uh… oh, God," Damon loudly grunted as the liquid flowed up his cock, then shot right out of him and onto his belly. The next round shot straight out of him and onto Bonnie's cheek.

"Guahhh," she gasp. "Eww, oh God. It's on my cheek!"

Damon giggled through the wonderful feeling.

Bonnie continued to milk every drop out of him. She became squeamish as his liquid poured over her fingers. "Ewww, there's so much. Make it stop! I didn't fully think this through!" she squealed, again, and Damon laughed.

"Eww? What? Bonnie, its apart of me," Damon said bashfully.

"Ewww, I need a hot wet towel," Bonnie whined and moved animatedly on the bed. She held her hands in the air, far away from her face as if his ejaculate were some alien life form out to get her. Damon laughed at her the entire time, and Stefan lied in bed, sniggering at their exchange under his breathe.


	17. Chapter 17: Time to say Goodbye Part II

**A/N:** Okay, this chapter was written the same time as Chapter 16, I just had to split it in two because it was so long, so unfortunately, Stefan won't be able to get with Abena, the woman he's helping. After you read this chapter you will see why… LOL!

I am also having a hard time deciding what I want to do with Stefan's love life. _**Suggestions?**_ I fear that I'm letting the show influence me too much in that regard. I don't like Steroline because I feel like it's not right for the show to explore them as lovers but not Bamon who the original author stated that they love each other, and that Bonnie M., had just as much right to Damon as Elena.

…and my problem with SE is Elena. I don't like people or characters that are so over exposed and let's talk about what a horrid character she is.

So you see my dilemma.

I do have something planned for Stefan, but I don't know if I will make it permanent or not. I will continue to build SE's friendship while pursuing this other thing I have planned for him as well and I'll see where my heart takes me.

_**Enjoy the chapter! Please comment! Please comment! Please comment! Please comment! It encourages me and lifts my spirits. We all need that. **_

…and to the reviewer who left me "LOL xP" does that mean you like? LOL!

**Oblivion Chapter 17: Time to say Goodbye Part II**

Bonnie was now sitting in a huge tent, just clicks away from the creek, being dolled up by Zinnia and her friends. Bonnie was very pleased with her sleeveless, aqua blue, linen gown with its plunging neckline that proudly showcased her cleavage.

The only jewelry Bonnie adorned with her gown was her necklace given to her by Damon and a golden ear cuff. Zinnia colored her lips with lipstick that was made from fruit, and she used a golden band to tie her hair up into a whimsical ponytail. The faster Bonnie was put together, the more nervous she became.

"Smile, Bonnie. It's your big day," Zinnia chimed.

Bonnie tried to be more enthusiastic. She was indeed happy about it being her wedding day, but knowing what followed the day after, put a damper on her spirits.

The voices in the room went mute as Bonnie's thoughts drifted off to a dark place. Bonnie was determined to let the worries of the future upset her, and Zinnia was even more determined to protect Bonnie from herself.

"Whatever you are thinking, Bonnie… stop it, right now," Zinnia demanded.

Bonnie shook herself internally from her thoughts and looked up at her friend with a childlike expression. "Okay," she replied tentatively.

"Now stand up," Zinnia directed sternly.

Bonnie slowly rose to her feet.

Zinnia stepped aside. All eyes in the room were now on Bonnie. Her long gown flowed down to the ground and dragged the floor. Her hair was swept off her forehead with a few loose wavy strands that dangled down the side of her face to her collar bone. She looked like a goddess in her Empire style dress.

"You are so beautiful, Bonnie." Zinnia gushed, and Bonnie flashed her a dazzling smile.

~ ( - ) ~

Two tents down from Bonnie's, Damon was being taunted by Tupac and his friends, but he was still ecstatic as he stood in the mirror primping. He was quite pleased with his aqua blue get up, which was made with a fine linen that was light weight and cool, an ideal outfit for new earth and its red-hot climate.

He felt over his long sleeved shirt with its deep V-neck opening that flared out at the wrist and adequately covered his bottom and manhood.

"Oh, Damon, before we leave… I want to show you the betrothal bracelets I had made for you and Bonnie," Tupac said before putting down his drink. He reached into a little brown pouch sitting on the table, then pulled out two bracelets. He walked them over to Damon and held them up for him to see.

They were two matching golden bands with beautiful swirl markings itched in the gold. Each bracelet had one large asscher cut diamond and two rubies that were smaller in size that sat on either side of the diamond.

"Whoa," Damon said as he picked up the smaller bracelet.

"The diamond represents the purity of your love. The rubies represent your hearts, and the golden band is what joins you two together in harmony, love, and strength," Tupac expressed with strong conviction as he thrust his fist forward and narrowed his eyes.

It was all Damon could do to hold onto his amusement, at this point, as he politely smiled at his friend. "They're beautiful, and thank you for the wonderful gift. We will treasure them," he replied genuinely.

"Oh, let me share with you the story of the markings on the band," Tupac responded excitedly.

"Has Bonnie seen them?" Damon hurried out, interrupting Tupac, then flashed him a fake smile.

"No, and I am only showing them to you because I want to make sure that you approve of the town's gift to you and Bonnie."

Damon chuckled. "Well, I approve, and boy did you luck out. Think of how fucked you would have been if I didn't approve," he replied hilariously as he patted Tupac on the shoulder. Damon winked at his friend, then walked away, leaving Tupac with a dumbfounded expression.

"The hell," Tupac murmured and cocked his brow.

~ ( - ) ~

Damon and Stefan walked down to the creek together. Their eyes widened in amazement at how his and Bonnie's favorite spot was so beautifully decorated. Gardenia flowers were hung from the edge of the cave ceiling and gardenia flowers were also placed as center pieces on the tables. The gardenia floral curtain also served as a back drop for the blue and white draped archway, decorated with gardenia flowers.

The tables were lined with deep blue linen sheets and a canopy ornamented with blue and white silk drapery that hung over the tables for covering.

As Damon marveled over the decorations, his mind drifted back into time to the first day that he and Bonnie had arrived on the planet.

He didn't think that he and Bonnie would last long in this new world. He hoped that they would survive the unknown, but he never imagined that they would. But one thing he never thought that he would do, and that was fall in love with Bonnie Bennett.

He supposed a part of him did care about her even before they arrived. When he came to care for Bonnie he wasn't quite sure when or even how. All he knew was that he needed to protect her.

Perhaps he came to care for her when she helped Stefan save his life from the Gilbert device, even though she hated him immensely.

_Maybe it wasn't at that point in time,_ he laughed in thought, but he did come to respect her in a very profound way that night, and he made every effort to uphold his promise to pay her back for saving his life, too.

Through the years, Damon had watched Bonnie sacrifice her own happiness and life for all of her friends over and over again, but it was now that he was okay with admitting that back then, Bonnie Bennett had touched his undead, emotionless heart with her compassion and selfless acts.

_Mm, now I remember,_ Damon said in thought as he recalled the moment when Bonnie took his breathe away, the moment that he did come to care about Bonnie Bennett.

He clenched his fist and narrowed his eyes as he remembered that moment. It was the night Bonnie lay sprawled out on the cafeteria floor of Mystic Fall's High, her eyes wide open, a trickle of blood on her upper lip as she lay lifelessly on the floor, under a death spell. He was utterly taking by her beauty and bravery that night, so much so, that he couldn't help but stroke her warm, caramel cheek, and close her lids down over her emerald eyes.

He knew from that moment on that he and Bonnie had a profound connection. They were two of a kind, cut from the same cloth, on opposite sides of the spectrum of course, but in the end, their ideas matched. Their personalities swirled together in harmony. He trusted and respected her, and he was so happy that the universe had forced them together, allowing them the chance to get to know one another more intimately.

"Bonnie's going to be my wife," he whispered as he looked out into the world with a wide-eyed wondrous expression.

Stefan smiled at his brother who stood in front of him looking all starry-eyed. "She is most definitely right for you, Damon."

"Yes, she is," Damon replied dreamily.

"Damon, Stefan, are you ready? The ceremony is about to begin."

Damon looked at Tupac, who then lead them to the flowery archway.

Tupac gave the bracelets to Stefan who stood by Damon.

Damon looked down to where Bonnie would enter. He was utterly nervous. He still couldn't believe that he and Bonnie were getting married.

"Hey, don't be nervous, and you look great by the way," Stefan complimented his brother as he pat him on the back.

"You think I look great?"

"Yeah, the blue really makes your eyes pop," Stefan teased and Damon laughed.

Damon and Stefan whipped their eyes to where Bonnie was to enter after hearing the music fill the air. The harp playing along with the water streaming down the creek was heavenly to Damon.

But his focus was soon shifted from the music and the stream and put solely on Bonnie as she walked slowly down the pathway to him, wearing her dazzling smile.

Tupac smiled at how beautiful Bonnie looked, and Zinnia gushed. Tupac then turned to Zinnia and winked. _You did well,_ he mouthed. _Thank you,_ she mouthed back.

Damon watched with a captivated expression as Bonnie walked toward him. The aqua blue gown she wore made her look like she was gliding on air as the tail end of her dress dragged the ground behind her. Bonnie walked toward him with a small bouquet of gardenias in her grasp. She was nervous.

Even Stefan was in awe over how beautiful Bonnie looked. He suddenly wondered how he had missed how beautiful Bonnie was. For the first time he wasn't looking at her through his big brother or best friend's eyes. He looked at Bonnie as any man would look at a woman, and she was perfection.

"You are really lucky, Damon," Stefan whispered in his brother's ear.

"Yes, I am."

"Don't fuck this up, Damon," Stefan whispered, again, in a reprimanding tone.

Damon's eyes darted over to Stefan, a severe look on his face. "I won't," he stated sternly.

"You better not, Damon," Stefan added.

The brother's stared intently at each other, until Tupac's voice interrupted.

"Hello, Bonnie," Tupac greeted.

Damon turned his gaze to Bonnie's, his eyes like saucers as he looked at his incredibly beautiful bride to be. They were standing at the altar, together, in their matching aqua blue attire, smiling achingly at each other. Damon grabbed Bonnie's hands and caressed the back of them tenderly with his thumbs.

"You're beautiful, Bonnie," he said, amorously.

"…and I've never imagined a more handsome groom," she replied, mutually.

"Are we ready to begin?" Tupac asked.

Bonnie and Damon turned to Tupac, then nodded.

"Damon Salvatore, do you take Bonnie as your wife, and do you promise before the Gods to respect, cherish, love, protect, and to be faithful to her for all the days of your life?"

"Yes," he answered.

"Please take Bonnie under your veil of protection and love."

Damon awkwardly lifted the sash from over his head. He then slide it over Bonnie's, messing up her ponytail as he went. He was so nervous. Zinnia smiled sweetly at a bashful Damon. He never looked more handsome to her than he did right now.

Damon placed the sash onto Bonnie's right shoulder. He then trailed his fingers down over her arm, and lastly her stomach. He straightened the sash over her pregnant belly and lovingly cupped it with his hand. Although the sash was merely a symbolism of his love and protection, it meant more to Damon because he took protecting Bonnie and his unborn child very seriously.

"Bonnie Bennett, do you accept Damon's veil of protection?"

Damon shuffled nervously on his feet. He flashed her a worried expression as he waited two very long _seconds_ for her answer.

"Yes," she answered as she looked Damon square in the eye.

"…and Bonnie, do you also promise before the Gods to cherish, love, respect, and to be faithful to Damon for all the days of your life?"

"Yes," she answered. Bonnie smiled, and Damon smiled, too.

"Stefan," Tupac called for the bracelets.

Stefan handed a small pillow to Tupac which held Bonnie's and Damon's bracelets. Tupac then directed Bonnie and Damon to take each other's wedding bands.

"Damon, place the bracelet on Bonnie's wrist."

Damon hurriedly and nervously did as he was told. His hand slightly shook as he placed the bracelet on Bonnie's arm. Bonnie smiled all the while, seeing a very confident Damon be so jumpy and bashful was adorable.

"Now you, Bonnie," Tupac said, then smiled sweetly at Bonnie.

Bonnie placed Damon's bracelet on his wrist before running her fingers over the jewels. She then massaged the back of Damon's hand with her thumb. She looked up at him and smiled as she took Damon's hands into hers.

They both then looked at Tupac. Damon nodded, signaling for Tupac to proceed.

"I, Tupac Shakur…," Tupac was cut off by Stefan's sniggering.

Tupac looked at Stefan and rolled his eyes.

"Sorry," Stefan choked out, then rubbed his mouth trying to snuff out his amusement.

"As I was saying before being rudely interrupted. I, Tupac Shakur, pronounce you man and wife, Damon and Bonnie Salvatore. You may kiss your bride, Damon."

The crowd clapped and shouted for Bonnie and Damon who stared at each other all dreamy-eyed. Damon took Bonnie's face into his hands and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. He wanted to kiss her harder, deeper, but he knew that he'd never stop once he felt her warm tongue swirl around his, so he settled for this one simple kiss, which ultimately didn't feel like a simple kiss at all.

He was married to Bonnie now. She was his wife, and something about kissing his wife made everything so very human, and right.

It sent chills down Bonnie's spine as Damon's lips slowly pulled away from hers. She looked at Damon as if seeing him through a new pair of eyes.

Bonnie did it. She married Damon. She would now be returning home to all of her friends, Elena, and Jeremy a married woman. She would have to look them in the eye and tell them that she and Damon were married, and she was okay with this. Bonnie felt like she made the right choice in marrying Damon.

Even nature agreed with their union as a cool breeze from out of nowhere blew over the creek, and it kept blowing. Windy days in Gardenia were rare and considered a blessing from the Gods.

Damon and Bonnie were whisked away from their beautiful romantic moment by Zinnia and her friends. Just as Zinnia had shared Gardenia's wedding traditions with Bonnie, Bonnie had also shared some of their wedding traditions with Zinnia. Bonnie shared with her the cutting of the cake tradition. She liked this part of weddings the most because she like the idea of the husband and wife feeding each other.

Gardenia didn't have cake, but they did have pie.

Damon grabbed Bonnie's hand, linking their fingers together, and Stefan grabbed the train of Bonnie's dress and they followed Zinnia to the table that held their grand pie which was liking to sweet potato or pumpkin pie back on earth.

Damon and Bonnie inspected the pie with wide eyes. Bonnie licked her lips at the appealing looking desert. Damon tried grabbing the spatula, a plate, and the silverware with one hand. He was moving at a snail's pace as he was still nervous and he didn't want to let go of Bonnie's hand.

Bonnie leaned into him, caressed his shoulder, and sweetly smiled. Damon looked back her. He immediately lost his focus after feeling Bonnie's warm touch.

"Hurry up and cut the pie!" Tao yelled.

"This is a very boring tradition," Cheyenne stated coolly with his arms crossed over his front.

"Boring, huh?" Damon cut his eyes up at Cheyenne, flashing him a crooked grin. "Not the way I do it," he winked. "Come on, Bonnie. Help me cut this pie. It better be delicious."

"My wife made that pie. Are you insulting my wife?" Tupac teased.

Damon looked at Zinnia who had a huge grin on her face.

"You cooked this pie?" Damon asked, his brow furrowed.

Zinnia nodded.

"It better be good," he spat and they all laughed.

Bonnie placed her hand over Damon's. They smiled and gushed at each other as they cut into the pie together. It was their first joint venture as man and wife. After cutting the pie, Bonnie placed a piece on the plate. She cut off a small piece, then feed it to Damon.

Damon concentrated as he chewed on the piece of pie. He licked his lips, then turned to Zinnia. "You outdid yourself," he said sweetly and Zinnia smiled politely at him, then curtsied.

"Bonnie, you ready?" Damon asked as he gently took the plate from Bonnie. Damon looked at Bonnie whose mouth was slightly ajar and her eyes were closed. A crooked grin crept across his lips as a devious thought came to mind.

Damon grabbed the pie from off the plate and smeared it all over Bonnie's mouth.

"Guahhh," Bonnie loudly gasp as she widened her eyes in astonishment.

The crowed went silent and Stefan bit down on a giggle. He was ashamed of himself for being the only one to find the prank funny. He rubbed his mouth briskly and rocked anxiously on his feet, fighting the urge to laugh.

Damon on the other hand found himself a good laugh at Bonnie's expense but quickly sobered once he realized that no one else was laughing. Bonnie stood there with her arms up in the air, her mouth wide open, astonished. She then nervously searched the crowd.

Some people looked angry and some looked mortified.

_Oh shit,_ Bonnie thought. She evilly grinned underneath her pie covered lips, then winked at Stefan; he winked back.

Out of nowhere, Bonnie began to cry hysterically.

"Oh, Bonnie, it's okay. Damon, how could you? She's pregnant," Zinnia came rushing to her side. Stefan continued to snigger under his breathe.

"What… what did I do?" Damon was baffled, then mortified because he made Bonnie cry. He had ruined her wedding day, and he hated himself for it.

"Bonnie. Bonnie, I'm so sorry," Damon stated frantically, then fitfully searched the table for a towel to wipe away Bonnie's tears and the pie from her face.

As Damon frantically searched the table for a towel, he heard loud cackling. "Wait," he mumbled. He knew that voice. He whipped his eyes over to Bonnie. She grabbed her belly as her laughter grew stronger and louder.

"Bonnie, are you laughing?" Zinnia asked annoyed, then frowned up at Bonnie.

"Oooh, you two were joking!" Tao yelled, and the crowed ah'd after finally catching on.

Damon stood in front of the table, embarrassed, towel in hand, and watched as Bonnie continuously laughed at him. "Great," he mumbled.

As Bonnie leaned over the table still hackling, she decided to return the favor that Damon had so graciously bestowed upon her. She grabbed a lump of the pie and smeared it all over the side of Damon's face. The crowd laughed and oh'd and ah'd at the playful and loving newlyweds.

"Bonnie!" Damon loudly grunted as he took her into his arms. He rubbed his face against hers, smearing the side of her face with pie.

"Nooo!" Bonnie screamed as she wriggled in his arms, laughing.

"Cheyenne, you want some pie?" Tao asked as he held up a large piece of the pie to Cheyenne's face, flashing him a goofy grin.

"Do it and die." Cheyenne flashed Tao a menacing look. Tao slowly lowered the pie back down to the table and walked off.

~ ( - ) ~

An hour later, Bonnie was all cleaned up and the people of Gardenia did what they did best, celebrate.

"Man, these people know how to party," Stefan said as he watched the people dance, drink, and be merry.

"Yup," Damon added before stuffing his mouth with more of the kidney pie.

"Hey, I'm going back for more chicken and some of these lemon squares," Stefan announced.

"Chicken? Lemon squares?" Damon questioned with a wrinkled brow.

"Yes, this taste like chicken and this taste like lemons," Stefan answered as he pointed to a bone and crumbs that were left behind by the lemon squares.

Damon shrugged and continued to stuff his face.

"Oh, Stefan, you can have mine," Bonnie offered happily. She grabbed her three remaining lemon squares from off her plate and placed them in Stefan's.

Stefan frowned at the treat, then grinned at Bonnie. "Have you washed your hands? Because after what I heard this morning I surely hope so."

Bonnie's jaw dropped and Damon spit out his food.

"God, damn it, Stefan! I knew you were listening!" Damon shouted with a mouth full.

"I can't help it that the only entertainment in this place is yours and Bonnie's sex life."

"You little fucker!" Damon threw down his plate and took after Stefan. Bonnie watched them amusingly as they ran around the creek like little kids.

"Bonnie, how does it feel to be a married woman?" Zinnia asked as she came strolling up to Bonnie with a drink in hand and a lemon tart in the other.

"Oh, my God. It feels so good. I'm so happy." Bonnie beamed.

"You deserve to be happy, Bonnie, and I am so glad you decided to have the baby. I knitted the baby some little booties, and when the baby gets here, I'm going to make her tons of clothes," Zinnia rushed out happily.

Bonnie grew sad, because so much had happened in the last few days that she and Damon had yet to tell Zinnia and Tupac that they would be returning home. Bonnie hung her head low, and Zinnia immediately noticed.

"Bonnie, are you okay? Please don't tell me you're feeling insecure, again?" she questioned, annoyed.

"No, no, that's not it, Zinnia. We have to return home."

"No! Why? You can't."

"We have to, Zinnia. It's the only way I know how to protect you and everybody else in this town."

"What? What are you saying, Bonnie?" Zinnia furrowed her brow and became more serious.

"Shing, is watching me, and since he can't destroy me, he's going to start coming after the people I care about, and I can't or won't let that happen."

"But…but how do you know?"

"Because I saw it in a vision, and that's all I am going to tell you, so please believe me," Bonnie replied sternly.

Zinnia looked at her for a moment before lowering her head. She looked down at the ground with a sad look in her eyes. "I'm going to miss you so much."

"I know, and I'm going to miss you, Zinnia. You're like a big sister to me. No, you're like a mother to me. Meeting you was no accident. I know in my heart that Grams brought you into my life," Bonnie said sweetly as a tear fell from her right eye. She reached for Zinnia's hand and clutched it tightly.

"Will you promise to visit me or send for me?"

"Yes, you can come visit me for as long as you want," Bonnie answered, then smiled.

"Good, and I am going to take you up on that offer," Zinnia answered, then chuckled.

"Do you want me to have Damon tell Tupac and Tao?"

"Yes, please do, because Tao is crazy about Damon. You'd think Damon hung the stars and the moon," Zinnia rushed out and then laughed. "Oh, and before I forget. The reason we decided to have your wedding so early, because we thought that you and Damon would like to spend the night here at the creek. Come, let me show you something." Zinnia grabbed Bonnie by the hand and then led her to the cave. They walked through the floral drapery and in to the cave.

"Oh, my God." Bonnie gasp in amazement.

Zinnia had brought down a mattress, candles, oils, wine, fruits, cheese, and bread. She wanted Bonnie's first night of marriage to be unforgettable.

"This is my favorite wedding gift by far." Bonnie gushed.

"Well, I don't know. There are some pretty great gifts out there." Zinnia lightly chuckled as she crossed her arms over her front.

Bonnie looked around the cave for a little while longer before she and Zinnia went back out to join the others.

"Bonnie! Bonnie!" Tao yelled as he came running up to her, smiling big and bright.

"Yes," Bonnie replied, then flashed him her dazzling smile.

"Come, you must partake in one of my favorite traditions, the farewell song to the bride."

"Oookay," Bonnie dragged out as she squinted her eyes peculiarly at Tao. She then looked at Zinnia.

"Now that you are no longer a suitable mate, the eligible men sing farewell to the bride and they congratulate the groom of capturing the heart of his mate," Zinnia explained.

"Oooh," Bonnie replied.

Tao grabbed Bonnie by the hand and rushed her over to Damon and the crowd of men surrounding him.

Damon's and Bonnie's eyes met immediately. They beamed at the sight of each other.

Tao walked Bonnie up to Damon who quickly stroked her face with his fingers before taking her by the hands.

"These gentleman, want to pay homage to you." Damon rolled his eyes as if the entire thing was ridiculous.

"Oooh, you're jealous." Bonnie giggled, then took Damon's face into her hands and placed a chaste kiss on his lips.

"I am not jealous."

"Surrre," Bonnie dragged out, then turned to Tao. "Okay Tao, let's do this."

"Alright you drunken bastards! Let's show Bonnie how we do things here in Gardenia!" Tao and another strong strapping fellow picked Bonnie up and placed her on their shoulders.

"Hey! Be careful. She's caring precious cargo!" Damon loudly hissed. He rushed to Bonnie and the two gentleman and made sure they had a firm grip on Bonnie.

Damon stepped aside and folded his arms over his front and watched happily as Bonnie got whisked away by the men. She rode around, elated, on Tao's and his friend's shoulder.

Damon didn't hear the words the men crooned or the corny music playing in the background, all he could hear was Bonnie's embellished laughter, and all he saw was the beautiful glow that surrounded her. She was his wife now, and he didn't win her. She choose him, and Damon couldn't think of a more perfect way of finding love.

~ ( - ) ~

Luna tossed and turned in bed all night long as visions of Bonnie and a beautiful little girl bounced around in her head. She smiled in her sleep as she watched the raven haired girl with silvery blue eyes practice her magic with her mother.

Luna awakened from her vision with a smile on her face. The longer Bonnie remained on new earth the more of Bonnie's past and future she saw. After seeing Bonnie's and Damon's child, Luna's desire to protect Shing at all cost was no longer a priority. She had her eyes on a bigger prize, and she would use Shing to help her get it.

Luna wanted to be ruler of not just Emerald city, she wanted to rule all of new earth, too. She only stayed in Shing's shadow because he had power, but now she could have it all.

"The things I could do with that child by my side," she whispered astonishingly. "They'll never see me coming." She evilly grinned.

~ ( - ) ~

The people cleared the creek by sun down, everyone but Tao and Stefan. Damon wanted to give Bonnie all his attention and not worry about security detail, too, so he asked his brother and Tao to stay close to the creek and keep watch.

After everyone left, Damon and Bonnie found themselves behind the floral curtain. They slow danced to the sounds of nature as they dazed wantonly in each other's eyes. Their serene moment was made even more magical when a light shower appeared from out of nowhere.

Whilst Bonnie swayed in place with Damon, her arms around his neck, staring desirously into his baby blues, she played the song from 'The Little Mermaid' repeatedly in her mind.

_**Sing with me now, sha-la-la-la-la-la, my, oh, my, Look at the boy too shy, he ain't gonna kiss the girl,**_ she sang internally.

Bonnie bit down on a giggle as she sung the chorus over and over, again in her head.

"What are you giggling about?" Damon asked in a seductive voice.

"The Little Mermaid," she answered, then chuckled at her own response.

"You're dancing with a stud like me and you're thinking about an animation?" Damon questioned incredulously.

"You? A stud? Pfft… please," Bonnie replied.

"I am a stud. A very charming one at that." Damon took Bonnie by the fingers and twirled her around.

"Whew!" Bonnie squealed. "Is that all you got, stud?"

"There's more." He wiggled his eyes at her, then led Bonnie to the bed. He directed her down onto the mattress after fluffing her pillows, then removed her sandals.

Damon massaged Bonnie's feet while holding her gaze. Bonnie became a pile of mush from his loving attention. Damon lifted Bonnie's left foot to his mouth and sweetly kissed her big toe. She deeply swallowed and flashed him a childlike expression.

Damon broke their loving gaze to prepare Bonnie a refreshing snack. She watched him closely whilst he washed his hands and filled a small bowl with assorted fruits. He then sat beside Bonnie, wearing a smoldering expression that made Bonnie's libido throb. Damon grabbed a piece of fruit from the bowl and placed it against her lips.

Bonnie took a bit of the fruit. Nectar from the fruit dripped down her luscious lips. Damon rushed in and kissed the wetness away from her mouth. He pulled away from this kiss slowly, holding Bonnie's gaze all the while. The move left Bonnie speechless.

Damon went on to grab another piece of the fruit. Bonnie was still reeling from the kiss. He lifted the berry to Bonnie's mouth, she slightly jerked as the berry touched her lips as she was still daydreaming.

"Mmm, that's it," Damon said in a low, husky, seductive voice as Bonnie took a bite of the piece of fruit.

Bonnie giggled, "Mmm, I can get used to this." She gushed.

"Uh, yeah, don't, because it's never going to happen again," Damon joked, and Bonnie laughed. "Here," he said before dangling a piece of fruit from his mouth. He leaned into her, then Bonnie leaned into him and wrapped her lips around the fruit and bit off the half hanging from his lips.

Bonnie hurriedly pulled away, then giggled like a little girl. She was completely shy under Damon's loving attention. She lunged forward on the mattress and laughed. She laughed so, that she began to choke on the piece of fruit.

"Uh, oh." Damon immediately came to Bonnie's rescue. He gently rubbed and patted her back, comforting her through her discomfort.

Bonnie became more focused on Damon's caring ministration of her, then her own wellbeing as she fought to catch her breathe.

Her choking spell finally eased. Bonnie took a deep breathe, and Damon poured her a cup of water. She took a sip of the cool water, then handed her cup back to him.

After Damon put the cup away, he removed his shoes, then he stood up on the side of the bed and removed his shirt. Bonnie watched him with a yearning look in her eyes. She nervously swallowed as Damon slowly, pulled his shirt over his head. She licked her lips with anticipation at the sight of his milky, strong back. She couldn't wait to massage him with the scented oils, but only if she could muster up the courage. The idea was a little more romantic and appealing in thought.

Bonnie couldn't figure out why she was so nervous. She had been with Damon, twice already, and she knew exactly how it felt to make love to and with him, but he wasn't Damon Salvatore anymore. He was her husband now.

"You're my husband," she said astoundingly.

Damon slowly turned around to face her. He looked at her for a spell before crawling across the bed to her. He took her by the hand, and ran his finger over her betrothal bracelet before looking back down at his.

"We're one now, you and I," he stated in a low, husky, and serious voice.

They stared achingly at each other for a moment. Damon could tell how tired Bonnie was as he gazed deep into her eyes. He was the first to break their trance as he laid down on the bed and opened his arms to receive her.

Bonnie looked yearningly at him as she drifted down into his strong arms. She laid in the pit of his arm, closed her eyes, and tenderly rubbed his chest as she keyed into the rain falling right outside the cave. Bonnie was extremely elated to be spending her last night on new earth as Damon's wife in the place where their relationship first started.

As she lay in his arms, with her eyes closed, she kept her focus solely on Damon's moist lips kissing her forehead over and over, again.

His kisses were sweet, and the bed was soft, and Damon's arms were strong. They made her feel protected and loved just as Damon had vowed. Bonnie didn't want to ever leave this place or this romantic and serene moment that she currently lived in.

The longer she lay in his arms, the heavier her eyelids became.

It wasn't until Bonnie thought about Damon trying to jerk himself off before the light of day that she perked up. That memory suddenly made her remember her promise to be with him on their wedding night.

He had waited so patiently for their wedding day, because it was what she wanted, and now here he was, still being the perfect gentleman, and she admired him enormously because of it.

Bonnie lifted her head and gazed at Damon. He narrowed his eyes at her, wondering why she wasn't asleep.

"You feel okay?" he asked in a raspy voice.

Bonnie didn't answer him. She kissed him on the lips instead. She finally pulled away from his lips. Damon stared achingly at a closed eyed Bonnie as she pulled away from him.

He lifted his head to hers. He kissed her softly on the lips repeatedly. His lips closed and opened slowly over her bottom lip, then her top one. Damon slowly rolled Bonnie onto her back. He kneeled over her, his hand still at the small of her back. He trailed opened mouthed kisses over her neck and down the valley between her breasts as Bonnie gently caressed his strong back and ran her fingers through his raven hair.

Damon slid her dress down over her right shoulder, then cupped her small breast and greedily sucked her nipple. He sucked her nipple heartily, causing Bonnie to moan and gently wriggle on the mattress. She closed her eyes and tenderly rubbed his bare shoulders as he continued to suck her breasts and kiss the valley between them.

Damon lifted himself away from Bonnie. He pushed the other side of her dress down over her shoulder as he looked wantonly down at her. Bonnie looked him deep in the eyes as he slid her dress up her legs. He then pulled her panties down her beautiful, toned, tawny legs before tossing them onto the cave floor.

Damon removed his pants, then slid his underwear down over his ivory hardness before he pushed Bonnie's dress over her pregnant belly. Here, he stopped his actions. He was about to make love to his wife. Damon slowly kneeled over her, again, propping himself up over her with his hands firmly against the bed.

"You're my wife, Bonnie," he said as he trailed his fingers down the side of her face. He said the words wondrously, as if he were just realizing the weight behind them.

"I know," she whispered as she reached her hand up to him, bringing him into her for another kiss. They became engrossed in a long, deep, passionate kiss. Damon's head bobbed and weaved over hers as he moved deeply in and out of her mouth, rolling his cool tongue smoothly and quickly around hers.

As they kissed, Damon trailed his fingers down to her clit. He let his middle digit play with her precious nub. He pressed in on her clit and feverishly massaged it. Bonnie quickly rocked her hips against his finger. An exaggerated moan escaped her lips as a wonderful feeling began to well up inside of her. Damon pulled away from the kiss and intently watched Bonnie as he slowly made love to her cunt with his finger.

She was now sopping wet, just like he liked it. Bonnie opened her legs a little wider, encouraging Damon to thrust his finger deeper into her core.

Damon ran kisses over her pregnant belly as he thrust his finger deeper and slowly into her opening, causing Bonnie's moans to grow louder and closer together.

Damon finally reached his breaking point. He wanted this night to be magical. He desired to make love to Bonnie all night long, to kiss her from her head to her toes, but he could no longer ignore the painfully wonderful feeling knotting up in the pit of his stomach. He was about to erupt with just the thought of Bonnie's sheath being wrapped around him.

He grabbed his long, engorged, stiffened cock. He gently patted her heated clit with the head of his shaft before pushing his hardness into her slippery wet folds.

"Ahhh," he loudly grunted and closed his eyes after pushing himself into her heated, wet, tight cunt.

"Uhhh," Bonnie moaned lowly as his engorged member pushed her slippery folds widely apart. She fisted the sheets and whipped her head fitfully from side to side.

Damon wrapped his arms at the back of her knees, spreading hers and his legs wider apart. He arched his back, then thrust himself at an even tempo into her. Bonnie gripped his forearms with a death grip and let out an exaggerated moan as he humped her.

Bonnie's core throbbed and became wetter at feeling Damon's abdomen briskly brush her pregnant belly as he pound her core with vigor.

They moaned and panted in harmony into each other's face as they gazed into one another's eyes.

Bonnie tightened her legs to Damon's arms, hoping for a bit of relief from his deep penetration, but she would have no such luck. She clenched her muscles tightly around his cock. The move made Damon deliriously happy. He briefly looked down and intently watched himself exit and enter Bonnie as her core clenched and pulled at his stiffened member.

"Oooh," he panted as he watched himself robustly hump her heated cunt. "Ah, yes, yes," she sang back to him.

They were back to making that same old beautiful music, again, to his rhythmic thrust and the rain that pelted against the ground outside the cave.

Their love making reached a whole new level of intimacy this night as they stared deep into each other's souls.

_She's my wife,_ Damon whispered in thought as his silvery blue eyes burned through Bonnie's emerald ones. He was still trying to process the fact that he was making love to his wife who was pregnant with his child. This wasn't the life that he had imagined for himself two years ago, and especially not with Bonnie Bennett of all people, yet here he was.

_I won't fuck this up. I won't fuck this up. I love her. God, I love her so much, _he chanted internally.

Damon twisted up his lip as he began to soar. He couldn't hold onto his orgasm any longer.

"Ah, oh, God," he loudly grunted as a tickling sensation fell over him. He could feel his release gush down his cock before shooting out of him like a geyser and right into Bonnie.

Damon made the most intense and ugliest face as his release flowed from him and into Bonnie. His gaze trailed from Bonnie's eyes to his cock. He watched intently as he exited and entered Bonnie, riding out his release.

He then looked back up at Bonnie. He chuckled internally at how she looked as he came inside of her. Her mouth was wide open, her head was slightly lifted off her pillow. She looked at him as if she were trying to help him move his eruption along.

Bonnie suddenly giggled.

"What? Why are you laughing?" he sweetly asked, smiling.

"You make the ugliest face when you cum." She laughed.

"What?! No I don't," he answered bashfully. "You should see what you look like while watching me have an orgasm."

"What? Whatever." Bonnie smiled.

Damon lightly chuckled before being caught up in Bonnie's beauty. He flashed her the sweetest of grins. Bonnie immediately noticed, and she too, became enthralled by Damon who was affectionately smiling at her.

Damon leaned down and kissed her sweetly. He hummed lowly as he pecked her lips again and again. He then rolled off of her, shoveled his arm underneath her head, and cradled her in his arms.

Bonnie lowered her dress and straddled her leg over his, then gently rubbed his abdomen.

"I want to make love to you all night, but I know Stefan's probably listening," Damon said dreamily as he looked out into space with a faraway look in his eyes.

"I am NOT listening!" Stefan shouted, then grabbed his mouth once he realized what he had done.

Tao widened his eyes in shock, then sniggered.

"Let's go! Let's go," Stefan whispered amusingly, then he and Tao took off.

"Shit! God damnit, Stefan! What are you? Twelve?" Damon yelled back. "Jesus, I have got to get him a girlfriend!" he spat angrily.

"Oh, leave, Stefan alone. This is the happiest I've ever seen him," Bonnie reprimanded.

"Yeah, he is happy." Damon smiled

"Are you happy, too?" Bonnie looked achingly at him.

Damon quickly turned his gaze to Bonnie, a serious facial expression.

"You know that I am happy with you, Bonnie. You never need to worry about that. I love you, so much, and thank you from the bottom of my heart for marrying me."

Tears welled up in Bonnie's eyes, and a small smile crept across her lips. "I love you, so much, too. Being with you makes me so happy," she cried through the words.

Damon flashed her a goofy grin, and Bonnie giggled.

~ ( - ) ~

Bonnie, Damon, and Stefan somberly and dully packed up their things. Neither one of them wanted to leave Gardenia. Not even Stefan, who had been sentenced to death, had that sentence carried out immediately against him and he had only been on new earth a little over a month. Although most of the people in town couldn't stand Stefan, the people that mattered, did like him.

As Stefan helped Bonnie and Damon collect the things they wanted to take back home with them, which was very little, Stefan thought about Abena. He really didn't give her enough of his time. He didn't feel right about leaving knowing there was still so much to be done around her house. He smiled in thought when he remembered their first conversation.

Abena was so nervous to talk to him, but he managed to make her laugh. She even made him dinner, and shared with him a family recipe. He thought about her homemade stew every day. He would surely miss that once he returned home.

A light came on in Stefan's head as he thought about the widow. Damon and Bonnie had piles of gold and silver coins that they were just going to leave on the kitchen table for Tupac to put back into the town's treasury. But he decided to do something else with the money instead.

"Damon, may I give this money to give to, Abena?"

Damon looked at Stefan for a second as he stood over the counter, preparing his and Bonnie's last cup of the tea Bonnie liked so well. "Sure." He shrugged, then smiled.

"Thank you!" Stefan shouted happily.

Stefan loaded the money up into a large leather pouch in a flash and then zoomed to Abena's house. He nervously knocked on her door. Although they had established a good rapport with each other, he still got anxious when around her because she was a painful reminder of the horrible thing that he had done to her husband.

"Oh, Hello, Stefan," she greeted sweetly, then flashed him a caring smile.

"Hello, Abena," he smiled back.

"What can I do for you?"

"Well, I don't suppose you've heard. I'm returning home today."

"Oh," Abena raised her brow. A disappointed look covered her slightly wrinkled, caramel face.

"Look, I know there is still so much around your home that needs to be done, but I have to return home. It's really for the best."

"Stefan, if it's about the people who have shunned you, don't worry about them. They'll come around. I did."

Stefan smiled at her remark.

"I'm not worried about people not liking me." He paused. "I am worried about you, and how you will make it which is why I want to give you this." Stefan held the bag of money up to Abena.

She took the bag with her weak hands. She almost dropped the sack. She hadn't anticipated it being so heavy.

"My, what is this?" she wrapped her arm around the bag, holding it more securely as she peeped inside. Her lips began to quiver and her eyes welled up with tears. "Thank you. Thank you, so much," she said through her light sobbing as she looked Stefan square in the eye.

"No, thank you, Abena, for forgiving me, and allowing me into your home after what I did. I will never forget your kindness."

"…and nor will I forget you," she replied.

"Goodbye," he said.

"Be well, my friend," she replied.

Stefan smiled at her one last time before walking away.

Abena watched Stefan until he disappeared from her sights.

Stefan had never felt so high on life then he did in the moment when seeing the happiness in Abena's eyes. He was glad that the memory he took of Abena was her happiness and not the devastated look in her eyes that he had helped to manufacture on that unfaithful and tragic day.

~ ( - ) ~

After packing up their wedding gifts and safely securing the verdant fruit, they all headed out to the woods where they happily met up with Tupac, his family, Tao, Cheyenne, and some other people from town.

Damon smiled at Tupac's baby girl. He instantly regretted not getting to know the child better. He thought about how she would have been good practice for him since he was expecting a child of his own.

Damon walked over to Tupac who was holding his little girl in his arms.

"Hello, beautiful," he said as he ran his fingers through the child's light brown hair.

Bonnie rushed to Zinnia's side and took her into her arms. They didn't say a word as they held one another and cried in each other's arms.

"Look at them. They need each other. You don't have to leave, Damon," Tupac said somberly as he watched Zinnia and Bonnie.

"I know, and I wish that we could stay, but it's just not safe for you and your people," Damon answered.

"Uh, Bonnie, Damon, I made a wedding gift for you. I would have given it to you yesterday, but it lacked some finishing touches."

Bonnie pulled away from Zinnia and went to Damon's side. "What is it?" she asked, her eyes red and puffy from her tears.

Tao unfolded the cloth from over the box. Bonnie gleamed at the jewel adorned container. Tao sculpted them a jewelry box and he decorated it with, amethysts, rubies, emeralds, pearls, and diamonds. Tao then opened the box, and inside there were little toys for the baby. He made the couple a more elaborate witch and vampire wooden toy.

"Oh my God." Bonnie beamed. "It's beautiful, Tao. Thank you." She stepped closer to Tao and wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him tightly to her.

"Wow," Damon whispered in amazement. "These are even more beautiful than the first two you made for me."

"Yeah, I wasn't so happy with the first two I made for you, so I practiced every day, perfecting my craft. I wanted to make the perfect gift for you and Bonnie. I wanted to make you proud of me."

Damon's eyes darted up to Tao. He was shocked. He didn't realize how much Tao admired him. Damon took Tao by the neck and fondly rubbed his cheeks. He then took him into his arms and squeezed Tao tightly to him.

"I'm going to miss you, Damon," Tao said with his eyes closed.

"Dito," Damon replied.

Tao pulled away from Damon and looked at him with a raised brow. "Dito?"

"It means I feel the same."

Tao furrowed his brow.

"You have to see the movie to understand," Damon added.

"Oooh, okay." Tao laughed.

"Bonnie," Tupac wrapped his arms around her and gave her a warm hug.

"Niaran, you be a good girl for daddy," Bonnie kissed the little girl on the cheek, then kneeled down to Tupac's son. "Jaz, are you going to miss me?" Bonnie nudged the boy's nose with hers.

"Yes," he answered shyly, then buried his face into his father's pants leg.

Bonnie stood up and looked around at her friends, again, when she spotted Monkey man sitting high up in a tall tree.

"Damon, it's monkey man!" she shouted.

Damon hurriedly turned around. He grinned after spotting their animal.

"Monkey man, come here. Come here boy!" Damon called.

"Come here, Monkey man! Please!" Bonnie called, but the animal wouldn't come. He sat in the tree and continued to intently watch them.

Tears streamed down Bonnie's face. She wanted to hug her animal one last time before leaving.

"Why won't he come to us, Damon?" she cried.

Damon wrapped his arms around Bonnie. He tenderly rubbed her arm and kissed the side of her forehead as he cradled her into his arms. "He is here with us. He's doing what he loves to do most, watch after us," he replied as he and Bonnie gazed brokenheartedly at their animal.

"Stefan, be good. Try not to kill anyone," Tupac said as he offered Stefan his hand.

"I promise, I will try not to kill anyone." Stefan replied after taking Tupac's hand. He then looked over at Tupac's wife. "Zinnia, thanks for not killing me."

"Believe me, it wasn't from the lack of trying."

Stefan lightly chuckled as he lowered and lifted his head.

"No, but seriously, you're a good guy, Stefan," she replied and flashed him a sweet grin.

Stefan stepped closer to her, invading her personal space before he wrapped an arm around her, giving her a short, warm hug.

"Damon," Zinnia called. She couldn't let her maker go without saying goodbye.

"Bye, warrior queen," Damon said, then chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Now, you be good to Bonnie, and you take good care of that baby."

"You know I will," Damon answered, then looked at Cheyenne. "Take care of Tupac."

"I always do," Cheyenne replied in his deep voice.

They then said goodbye to the others before saying goodbye, one last time to Tupac, his family, and Tao.

Damon packed Tao's gift carefully away in one of the bags, then he and Stefan stood beside Bonnie. She closed her eyes and began to chant. She successfully opened the portal and not once did her nose bleed, and not once did she feel the searing pain in her brain like she had felt so many times before.

Damon grabbed Bonnie's hand and smiled at her. It then dawned on him after spotting the pillows laying on the ground next to their things.

"Shit!" he yelled against the squall.

"What?" Stefan asked hysterically as his hair flapped violently in the wind.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Cheyenne bellowed to Damon as he watched him gather up the pillows and marched them over to Bonnie.

"I have to protect her. Our arrival will be bumpy," Damon yelled back.

He placed the pillows all around her and wrapped the rope around Bonnie in a flash to secure the pillows to her body. Damon stopped and smiled cockily at Bonnie who looked like a sumo wrestler.

"Really, Damon!" she loudly spat.

"We have to protect the baby!"

"Ugh!" she huffed.

"Damon, Bonnie, I'm going in!" Stefan yelled before throwing their bags into the portal. He leapt in after.

"Bonnie, I love you! Please come back to visit!" Zinnia yelled and waved erratically at them.

"I love you, too, and we will see each other, again!" Bonnie yelled. She tried to wave back at her friend, but she almost fell due to the tons of pillows weighing her down.

Damon laughed as Bonnie tumbled over in his arms. "Oops!" He waggled his eyes at her. "Are you ready?!" Damon yelled as he took Bonnie by the hand.

Bonnie looked back at Monkey Man, one last time, then back at Damon. They smiled at each other, then walked towards the radiant light. Once they disappeared into the portal, Monkey Man left his post. He went opposite the direction of the town. His task of protecting Bonnie, Damon, and the people they loved, was now over.

Zinnia collapsed into Tupac's arms and cried like a baby, and Tao leaned against the towering Cheyenne and cried on his shoulder. The large man first frowned at Tao, but his friend was truly sad, and he could no longer fight the incredible urge to comfort the boy. Cheyenne wrapped his arms around Tao and patted him on the head. "Now, now," he said.

~ ( - ) ~

Damon and Bonnie were now moving at the speed of light through the portal. Damon thought he'd never be traveling this road every again, once Stefan showed up in Gardenia.

For the first time ever, Damon was feeling really anxious about returning home to Mystics Falls. In fact, he felt downright distraught about having to ever set foot in his home town, again. Gardenia was like a dream come true for Damon, and after Stefan arrived, it made the dream even sweeter.

Bonnie clutched Damon's hand as they zipped through the portal, at least she thought she was squeezing his hand. They were moving so fast that she wasn't quite sure if they were even still holding hands.

Bonnie started thinking about what she wanted to happen after she returned home. Her greatest fear was running into Jeremy and Elena straightaway. She hoped that once she returned that she would have at least a day or two to collect her thoughts and for her and Damon to come up with a plan on how they were going to break the news to the Gilberts. But whatever she and Damon decided, she hoped with all her heart that they would get through whatever the Gilberts or anybody else threw at them, together.

Bonnie's and Damon's thoughts simultaneously drifted off to happier things like their wedding and the baby, and how much they were already missing Monkey Man and their friends back in Gardenia. Just as their mantra of thoughts about their blissful life back on new earth swept them off into the most euphoric place in their minds, they felt their bodies moving before their brutal impact with earth.

First Damon hit the ground and then the portal spit Bonnie out. She crashed down on her back right down on top of him.

"Oh! Ouch!" Stefan recoiled as he watched Damon and Bonnie hit the ground at such velocity that he was sure that his brother had broken every bone in his body.

"Bonnie! Damon!" he yelled, then flashed over to them. He ripped Bonnie away from the ground, then shredded the boat load of pillows away from her body.

"Bonnie! Bonnie! Are you okay? How is the baby?" Stefan yelled as he ran his fingers over her face and then gently touched her belly. Stefan picked Bonnie up bridal style and flashed her to the steps.

"Talk to me, Bonnie. Tell me you can hear me?" he asked frantically as he gently rubbed the sides of her face.

"Mm, huh, what's happening?" she murmured as she struggled to peel open her eyes.

Damon laid on the ground his vision blurred. The impact had rendered him temporarily unconscious, but luckily, his body quickly healed. He sluggishly got to his feet, then fitfully looked around for Bonnie through his hazy vision.

"Bonnie! Bonnie!" he called frantically.

"She's here, Damon!" Stefan yelled.

Damon's vision finally cleared only to find the most beautiful person in the world staring back at him.

"Bonnie, are you okay?! Is the baby okay?" he asked fearfully and worriedly after zooming over to her.

"I'm okay," Bonnie answered tiredly as she stumbled into his arms.

"Come on, let's get you inside," Damon took her into his grasp and walked her to the house.

Bonnie looked at the boarding house entrance, stunned. They were back in Mystic Falls. She began to tremble internally. She became overwhelmingly nervous at what she would find once walking through the door of what she was sure would now be her new home.

Stefan collected all their things and quickly followed them.

Damon reached for the knob. He slowly opened the door. He and Bonnie walked through the entrance very slowly. Damon looked around his home with a frighten look in his eyes. Here he stood with a plethora of mixed emotions running through him.

Bonnie was no different. She was quite sure what she wanted but a big part of her didn't want to be back in Mystic Falls.

"Home sweet home, right?" Stefan rushed passed them and put their things down on the floor beside the couch before facing them. "Smile you two. We're home."

Damon looked around the living room his lip twisted up, his eyes narrowed. "This place is a fucking pig sty," he fussed at seeing pizza boxes and beer bottles on the coffee table and piles of spell books stacked up on the floor and some strewn across the couch.

"Oh yeah, about that. Enzo, Lucy, and some of her friends are staying here. I told them it was okay to stay here since they were helping me look for you and Bonnie," he replied with his hands on his hips.

Damon laughed. "Enzo… volunteered to help you look for me? Isn't he the same asshole that vowed to make my life a living hell because of his dead girlfriend, Maggie?" he questioned as if the entire thing was ridiculous.

"Yes Damon, he helped me look for you. He's really not all that bad, and I think he feels bad for how he treated you," Stefan replied uneasily as he nervously shifted on his feet.

"Mhm, whatever," Damon replied, then rolled his eyes.

"I can't believe Lucy came back for me." Bonnie smiled astoundingly. "What about my mother? Did she call or ask about me?" she asked hesitantly.

"Lucy, did mention that she spoke to your mother once," Stefan replied.

Bonnie looked up at Damon, smiling; he nudged her happily.

"Well, I probably should call Lucy, let her know that I'm alive," Stefan announced, then smiled. He flashed upstairs, leaving Bonnie and Damon alone.

"Are you hungry? Since Lucy and her friends are here, I'm sure there's something good in the fridge for you to eat."

"Yeah, I'm a little hungry and sleepy." Bonnie lightly giggled as she tiredly rubbed her forehead.

"Do you have a headache?" Damon frowned and placed his hand on Bonnie's forehead, checking her for a fever.

"A little. That fall really took a lot out of me."

"Go to my bedroom and lay down. I'll bring you some water and a bowl of soup," Damon said, then flashed Bonnie a sweet smile. He gave her a quick kiss on the lips and then took her into a warm embrace.

He closed his eyes and rocked Bonnie from side to side in his arms. Bonnie squeezed Damon tightly to her as she looked out into the living room with a preoccupied look in her eyes, her lips slightly curved into her warm, caramel cheek. She hoped that she and Damon would have the rest of the night alone at the boarding house and that the gang wouldn't rush right over.

She wasn't ready to face her friends just yet. She knew that sooner or later she would have to. She tightly closed her eyes, squeezed Damon a little tighter, and tried to mentally prepare herself for the worse. She had confronted creatures more frightening then her friends, so she knew that she was very capable of confronting Elena and Jeremy.

The only difference with facing her friends, was that she loved them, and she didn't want to hurt them, but her decision had been made. Bonnie wanted to be happy. She found that happiness with Damon and starting a family with him, and if her friends weren't willing to accept that, she would have to learn to live without them.

"Now go and get some rest. I'll be up in a bit," Damon said after he pulled away from Bonnie and took her by the shoulders.

Bonnie nodded, then walked towards the stairwell. Damon walked a few paces behind her. He rested his hand on the banister and watched as Bonnie walked upstairs. He made sure that she made it safely up to the second level. He waited until Bonnie disappeared from his sights all together before he flashed to the kitchen.

Bonnie slowly walked to Damon's bedroom door. She exhaled and closed her eyes before walking inside. She slowly turned the knob and little by little opened the door. She stepped inside his room as if she were walking into lands unknown. Bonnie looked around Damon's room, a childlike expression on her face.

She walked over to his dresser and ran her fingers across the dark rich wood. She carefully inspected the items on his dresser. His watches, hair brushes, and the different bottles of cologne. She smiled. She was getting a firsthand look at Damon Salvatore's infamous bedroom.

Bonnie continued to walk alongside his dresser, taking mental notes of everything that Damon liked.

Bonnie soon lost her smile when she ran across a picture of him and Elena sitting on the dresser. She stopped and looked keenly at the image before picking it up. As she looked intently at the photo, her mind went back into time when she was dead and walking the streets of Mystic falls as a ghost, visiting the homes of her friends to check in on them.

Bonnie smiled when she remembered how happy Elena and Damon were together the summer before college started. Though most of their happiness came from their time in the bedroom, she still never remembered a moment when Damon was so happy and in love. Bonnie wasn't a self-absorbed person, so not once did she think about how happy Damon was with her.

She placed the frame back down on the dresser the way she found it. She turned around and looked at Damon's enormous bed. It looked inviting as she was extremely tired. She removed her sandals from her feet. She looked at her shoes and smiled in recollection of her not so former home Gardenia.

Bonnie put her shoes down in front of the dresser, then walked over to the bed. She sat down on the bed and bounced up and down on it before running her fingers over the maroon comforter. She laid across the bed and tucked her hands underneath her head. She closed her eyes and tried to relax, but she found it hard to relax without the sounds of outside filling the air. Damon's room was too quiet. It was eerily quiet.

Bonnie opened her eyes after realizing that she was too anxious to sleep. She looked over at Damon's nightstand and discovered another image of him and Elena. As she stared at the image a startling realization hit her. This bedroom was no longer just Damon's. It was Elena's room, too. She sat up on the bed and looked down at the comforter.

She then remembered Damon's and Elena's summer of fun and where most of their fun had taken place. She suddenly didn't feel so comfortable in the bedroom that would now be hers and Damon's.

"Bonnie, are you up?" Damon called as he pushed the door open with his foot. He entered the room with a tray topped with soup, crackers, water, and tea and a rose that he had cut from the flower garden. "I have hot tea, soup, and a tall glass of cold water," he announced as he sat the food on top of the bed. He still hadn't noticed the dismal and uncomfortable look on Bonnie's face.

"Bonnie, are you okay?" he asked after finally discovering Bonnie with a miserable appearance. He stepped in front of her and looked down on her with a worried look in his eyes.

"Nothing. I'm just being silly," she answered, trying to shirk off her own feelings.

"No," Damon answered and shook his head. "You look worried, and if you're worried, it means something to me." He kneeled down in front of her, flashing her a serious expression.

Bonnie looked him in the eye for several seconds. She inhaled and thought about how she was going to tell her husband that she didn't want to sleep in his bed.

"Damon… I can't sleep in here. There are pictures of you and Elena everywhere. This is where you two slept," she said.

Damon's severe look softened. He looked around his room. His eyes then landed on his dresser, seeing an image of him and Elena. He then looked at his night stand, seeing another image of him and Elena. He then looked at his bed; his summer of fun came rushing back into his mind like a river rushing out to the sea. He closed his eyes and tried to shake the memories from his mind, but he couldn't. They were still there.

Elena was a part of his past now and there was nothing he could do to change that. He got to his feet and paced in front of Bonnie as he ran his fingers over his mouth and then frustratingly through his hair.

"I was hoping that the boarding house could be our home," he said somberly with his back to her and his hands on his hips.

Bonnie looked at him for a second. "It can be, Damon. I'm not trying to make things difficult. I'm sorry."

"No, don't be sorry," he replied before rushing back to her side. "You're uncomfortable sleeping in the same bed where your best friend and I slept. I get it. There are other rooms in this house. Will make one of them our bedroom." He smiled sweetly at Bonnie as he tenderly rubbed her thigh.

Bonnie beamed. She was pleased with his answer.

"Now, come on, let's find us another bedroom." He grabbed the tray and Bonnie grabbed her shoes.

All the bedrooms that Damon wouldn't mind having as an alternate were now all occupied by their house guest, so they were stuck with one of the smaller bedrooms. Damon walked in to the room behind Bonnie. He frowned and rolled his eyes at their new cramp quarters. The one good thing about Mystic Falls was his home, his bedroom, and now that was gone.

Bonnie hurried to the bed and pushed back the covers. She then rushed to the window and opened the drapes, letting in the sunlight. Damon lazily walked over to the bed, a sour look on his face.

"Great, you're angry with me," Bonnie said after noticing his sour appearance.

"No. No. No. I am not angry with you," he replied. "I want you to be happy, Bonnie. I will learn to live with the change, okay?" he flashed her an affectionate grin.

"Okay, and thank you," Bonnie said as she walked over to him, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Don't thank me. This is what married life is all about. Compromise and learning each other's quirks… so I've heard." He smiled, and Bonnie lowly chuckled. "Now make yourself comfortable. I'm sure your soup is cold. I'll go warm it up." Damon kissed Bonnie on the lips, then grabbed the tray and hurried out of the room and back down to the kitchen.

"Hey, is Bonnie feeling better?" Stefan asked as Damon hurriedly marched passed him to the kitchen.

"She's feeling better. She's going to eat a little something, then take a nap," he replied and then disappeared into the kitchen. Damon poured Bonnie's cold tea down the sink, popped her soup in to the microwave and turned the eye on under the kettle to heat the water again for a fresh cup of tea.

After getting everything underway, he flashed back in to the living room to chat with Stefan who was toting a large garbage bag around the room, filling it with the beer bottles, pizza boxes, and trash laying around the living room.

"Did you get in touch with, Lucy?" Damon inquired after returning to the living room.

"Yes, and everyone is with her at The Grill. They're on their way right now," he answered, annoyed.

"Great," Damon huffed and then rolled his eyes.

Stefan looked at his brother for a second and then let out an exaggerated laugh.

"What?" Damon asked, his brow furrowed.

"You'd think we'd be ecstatic to be home again with our friends," Stefan hilariously stated and continued to laugh at their dilemma.

"I just left my friends," Damon answered disappointedly.

"Yeah…," Stefan was cut off as Lucy came running in to the house to greet him.

"OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD!" Lucy yelled as she came running into the house. She ran right over to Stefan and threw her arms around his neck. "Where's, Bonnie?"

"She's upstairs taking a nap," Damon answered.

"Damon," Enzo called next as he came strolling in behind Lucy.

The gang filed up in the house one by one excited to see the brother's home and very much alive.

Caroline and Elena were the last to go inside. Caroline didn't want to look so desperate so she primped in the mirror in the car, and Elena stayed on the porch, pacing it. She would periodically look at the entrance of the house, then back at Caroline as she primped in the car.

After all this time she would see Damon, again, but there was also this lingering desire in her heart to see Stefan, again, too. Since Damon had been removed from her life, she was able to see herself and the things that she had done to Stefan more clearly. He was the perfect boyfriend to her. He didn't deserve the things that she had done to him.

Caroline had finally gained her courage. She flashed out of the car and to the porch. She and Elena stared each other square in the eye, neither one of them were happy to see the other.

Elena was the first to break their trance as she turned her gaze to the entrance and entered.

Upstairs, Bonnie heard all the commotion. She slowly walked to the door. She closed her eyes and inhaled as she tried to muster up the strength to do what she needed to do for herself, her unborn child, and Damon, her husband. She quickly looked down at her betrothal bracelet and smiled as she ran her fingers over the jewels. "You can do this, Bonnie," she whispered.

"Where is, Bonnie?" Jeremy asked seriously as he entered the house, holding Casey's hand no less.

Damon looked at baby Gilbert and rolled his eyes. Though he and Bonnie were married, it pissed him off to see Jeremy be so bold about his relationship with someone else not knowing whether or not Bonnie was returning home to be with him or not.

"Stefan," Caroline called, her eyes like saucers as she looked at him with an astounded facial expression.

"Hey, Caroline," Stefan replied sweetly.

Elena Gilbert finally entered the room, and everything went mute for Stefan and Damon. Stefan looked right through Caroline and straight at Elena, a stunned look in his eyes.

Damon's eyes widened. He was seeing Elena for the first time in months. He wasn't prepared to feel anything for her, yet here he was feeling some type of way about her.

Elena looked at Stefan first, she grinned.

Damon immediately noticed how Elena favored Stefan over him, but oddly, it was no surprise to him that Elena would choose his brother over him, and ironically, he didn't care that she favored Stefan over him.

Caroline was so engrossed in Stefan that she didn't even notice the exchange between Elena and the brother's. Caroline could no longer ignore seeing Stefan in her sights and not have her arms around him. She flashed to Stefan and swung her arms around his neck. She then hurriedly pulled away from him and crashed her lips into his. She gave him a moist kiss to the lips then pulled away.

"I love you, too," she said amorously.

Enzo lowered his head, a somber look covered his once happy face.

The spark in Elena's eyes dimmed after seeing Caroline's and Stefan's exchange.

"What… what?" Stefan whispered confused after Caroline confessed her love to him.

Elena quickly collected herself. She put her sights on Damon. She flashed him a cheesy grin before zooming over to him. She grabbed his face and crashed her lips to his. She then hurriedly pulled away. "I've missed you so much. I knew you'd find your way back to me," she declared in a raspy voice before crashing her lips into Damon's again.

Stefan watched them with a devastated look in his eyes as Caroline continued to trail kisses feverishly over the side of his face.

As Elena roughly ran her fingers through Damon's hair, his summer of fun with her came flooding back into his awareness, and before he knew it, his lips were pushing back against Elena's, but it didn't take long for Damon to realize what a horrible mistake he was making. He roughly pushed Elena off of him, but it was too late.

"Damon," Bonnie called to him brokenheartedly. She saw everything.

She saw Elena giving him the kiss, and she saw Damon reciprocate the kiss as he timidly placed his hand on Elena's hips and tentatively pushed his lips back against hers.

Damon's eyes darted up to a devastated Bonnie. _Stefan,_ he whispered. He whipped his head around to see his brother who was equally devastated.

All eyes in the room traveled to the stairs and landed on a very pregnant Bonnie.

"Bonnie, you're pregnant?" Jeremy stated in disbelief. He dropped Casey's hand and rushed to Bonnie's side. Damon watched the scene play out in front of him as if it weren't real as he was still in shock from Bonnie catching him kiss Elena.

"Bonnie, you're pregnant with my child?" Jeremy asked, astounded.

Jeremy's question shook Bonnie and Damon back to reality.

"What?" Bonnie asked, bewildered.

Damon pushed Elena aside, then flashed to Bonnie. There was no way in hell he was going to lose his child to baby Gilbert. He zoomed to Bonnie's side, then pushed himself between them.

"The baby she's carrying, is mine," Damon spat.

"Bonnie, is this true?" Jeremy looked at her with a wounded facial expression.

"Damon, what are you saying?" Elena spat as she marched to the edge of the stairwell, a devastated look in her eyes.

Damon looked Elena square in the eye. "The baby is mine," he reiterated.

Elena's eyes darted over to Bonnie. "Bonnie, how dare you?" she angrily questioned.

"Alright, everybody just calm down. They've just returned. We can hash out all the relationship stuff later," Lucy interrupted.

"NO!" Elena yelled. "We're going to talk about this now."

"I don't have time for this shit," Bonnie hissed, then walked away from everyone. She rushed back up to her room, Damon on her heels.

Bonnie was angry, and Elena was angry, and Bonnie certainly didn't feel like addressing a room full of people about her personal life. It was her life to do with it what she will.

Bonnie was finally in the bedroom. She tried closing the bedroom door behind her and in Damon's face, but he caught it before it closed. Bonnie hurriedly climbed in bed, leaving her body uncovered.

Damon sat down on the bed next to her, his chest heaving. He was nervous. He knew he had messed up. Bonnie's chest rapidly rose and fell and her nostrils flared as she was blaring angry.

"Bonnie, I'm sorry. I made a mistake. I got caught up in the moment. I love you," he declared in a low, husky voice. Bonnie didn't answer him. She turned her back to him instead.

Tears begin to well up in Damon's eyes as he continued to watch an angry Bonnie.

"I forgot to tuck you in this afternoon, and I promised that I would always tuck you in," he said distantly and his voice cracked. His emotions were all over the place. He really didn't have the strength for words but he had to keep trying to reach Bonnie. He needed her to know that he loved her, and that he only wanted her.

"I think tomorrow we should go to the doctor and make sure the baby is okay. Maybe we can find out the baby's sex. I hope it's a girl. I know that's what you want, a little girl," he babbled as he covered Bonnie with the blanket, then tucked her into bed. "Bonnie, I love you, and I want to be with you."

"Well, I hate you. Go be with, Elena," she replied coldly. Bonnie couldn't let go of her rage.

"Bonnie, you don't mean that."

"I SAID GET THE HELL OUT!" Bonnie ripped herself away from the bed and screamed at the top of her lungs. Her hot breathe blew into his face and spittle shot forth from her mouth, but Damon didn't flinch. He understood.

Bonnie continued to glare at Damon, her nostrils flared as her chest rapidly heaved.

Damon looked her deep in the eyes with a powerful gaze, his jaw slightly clicked. Their heated stare-off lasted for several moments. Damon was the first to break their heated stare-off as he slowly rose to his feet, still holding Bonnie's fiery gaze. "I'll give you some time alone, but I will be back," he said, then walked away.

After opening the door, he looked back at Bonnie who was still looking at him. He flashed her a crooked smile before leaving the room all together.

Bonnie immediately crashed down onto the bed. Tears began to stream down her face as she tightly clutched the comforter to her chest. _I love you, Damon, _her mind whispered.

Damon stood on the other side of the door still holding the knob. A tear fell from his left eye and rolled down his cheek. It was the first time in decades that a tear fell from Damon's eyes.

"_**Don't fuck this up, Damon."**_ Stefan's words echoed in his mind.

"I won't fuck this up, Stefan," he whispered as he placed his hand flat against the door.

~ ( - ) ~

**A/N:** Drama. I love baby and relationship drama. Sue me… LOL!


	18. Chapter 18 Bittersweet Homecoming

A/N: Phew! I did it! Sorry it took so long. Please forgive my pathetic attempt to incorporate a similar scene in this chapter from the show… teehee hee.

Also, there's a little line in here from Django, from Leo's character. Bwahahahahaha.

I hope you all enjoy this chapter, My God I do. I love it! I love it! Please comment. Your comments move and inspire me. I love you all so much! Thank you!

**Oblivion Chapter 18: Bittersweet Homecoming. **

Damon looked Bonnie deep in the eyes with a powerful gaze, his jaw slightly clicked. Their heated stare-off lasted for several moments. Damon was the first to break their heated gaze as he slowly rose to his feet, still holding Bonnie's fiery gaze. "I'll give you some time alone, but I will be back," he said, then walked away.

After opening the door, he looked back at Bonnie who was still looking at him. He flashed her a crooked smile before leaving the room all together.

Bonnie immediately crashed down onto the bed. Tears began to stream down her face as she tightly clutched the comforter to her chest. _I love you, Damon,_ her mind whispered.

Damon stood on the other side of the door still holding the doorknob. A tear fell from his left eye and rolled down his cheek. It was the first time in decades that a tear fell from Damon's eyes.

"_**Don't fuck this up, Damon."**_ Stefan's words echoed in his mind.

"I won't fuck this up, Stefan," he whispered as he placed his hand flat against the door. He stood there for several moments before being interrupted by Elena Gilbert. He could hear her angrily marching towards him. He could smell the scent of her, getting stronger the closer she got. He slowly turned his narrow gaze toward her, readying himself for battle with his ex-girlfriend.

"I want to speak with Bonnie," she said sternly.

Damon flashed her an astonishing look and then glared angrily at her.

"Whatever you have to say to her, you can say to me," he answered coldly as he turned his body towards her. He crossed his arms over his chest and continued to glare at an angry Elena.

"No, this is between me and Bonnie. She knows how much you love me and how much I love you. How dare she betray me? How dare she manipulate you into sleeping with her?" she hissed as she forcefully jerked her hands alongside her.

Damon frowned as he let Elena's absurd logic sink into his consciousness. It wasn't until this very moment that he realized what a self-absorbed and illogical girlfriend he formerly had in one Elena Gilbert.

"God, do you even listen to yourself or think before you speak?" Damon looked at her with an incredulous look on his face.

Elena narrowed her eyes at his comment.

"Bonnie didn't betray you, Elena. I did. I asked her to be in a relationship with me because I love her," he declared firmly.

Elena's eyes widened in shock as her body went limp. "No, wait. No, what? Damon you don't love Bonnie. You were lonely, and I'm sure the baby was an accident because of the loneliness you felt from being away from me," she explained pleadingly as she stepped closer to Damon, invading his personal space.

She grabbed his face with her strong hands and madly rubbed his chiseled face.

Damon's jaw clicked. For the first time ever, he was uncomfortable with Elena's touch. That spark he felt when he saw her for the first time in months, he now felt it was a fluke, because now it was gone. Yes, he loved Elena. His mind reminded him of that fact because he hated that he would have to hurt her, but he was ready to end things. He was ready to rip off the band aid so that he and Elena could move on with their lives.

He exhaled as he closed his eyes. He opened them to see her whisky watery eyes staring back at him. He grabbed her hands, clutched them tightly and slowly lowered them in front of him.

"Yes, Bonnie's pregnancy was an accident. I had no idea that I could father a child, and still to this day, I can't believe that fruit gave me the power to procreate." He smiled in thought as he looked vacantly out into the distance, recalling the conversation he had with Tupac about the verdant fruit and the moment that he had discovered that Bonnie was pregnant with his child.

Elena observed Damon carefully as he looked out into space with a profound gleam in his glistening, pale, blue eyes. Her bemused gaze then trailed down to his hands. She finally noticed the beautiful diamond and sapphire betrothal bracelet.

"Damon," Elena softly called, bringing him back to reality.

"Oh, what was I saying?" he looked down at the floor with a distracted look in his eyes.

"What a beautiful bracelet. Who gave it to you?" Elena flashed Damon a childlike look.

Damon inspected the bracelet for a minute as Elena trailed her thumb over the jewels.

Damon was ready to divulge the truth behind the bracelet, but he knew it would start World War III and right now Bonnie was angry, hurt, and tired, and he wasn't about to disrupt her, even though their marriage was a very big deal to him, to them.

He reached his hand down to the bracelet and gently nudged Elena's hand away from it. "I'll tell you the story behind this later, okay?" He looked affectionately down at the bracelet, recalling the happier times that surrounded it.

Elena grabbed Damon's face and turned his gaze up to hers. "Look, Damon, I love you. I couldn't live without you or much less try to function without you. You are my life, you are my everything."

"…and maybe that's the problem," Damon answered coldly. He stared Elena deep in the eyes with a powerful and piercing gaze.

Elena's eyes widened in horror. She let go of Damon's hands and flashed him an infuriated look.

Damon ignored her reaction and continued to state his case.

"Bonnie getting pregnant may have been a mistake, but the baby isn't. I love my baby. I love Bonnie, and I promised her that I wouldn't hurt her. What happened downstairs, me kissing you… it was wrong, and it can't happen again. It won't happen again."

Elena lovingly took ahold of Damon's face, once more. She looked deep into his eyes with a loving gaze hoping to draw him back into her web of poisonousness.

"Damon, this is not who you are. You love me. You will only hurt Bonnie. She's a good person. She doesn't deserve to be hurt. I know you want to be there for your child, but being in a loveless relationship with your child's mother can't be good for the baby," she explained confidently with an air of cockiness in her voice.

"What?" Damon answered in disbelieving tone.

"You only think you love Bonnie, because you thought you'd never see me again."

Damon narrowed his eyes, then let out a low chuckle before flashing Elena a dubious look.

"Have you gone mad?" he asked in an unimpressed tone.

Elena removed her hands from his face, stepped back, and flashed Damon a wounded look.

"Damon, it's me, Elena," she said as she gestured to herself.

"Elena, I'm sorry, but we're over, and if you would just be honest with yourself, we were over before I left, died, whatever. All we did was argue about how toxic and bad we were for each other. Is that the kind of relationship you want for yourself?" Damon questioned, flashing her a concerned look.

"I don't care about the problems we had. All I know is that I want you," she whined.

"Oh, my God." Damon widened his eyes. "Elena, I'm done with this conversation. When you are ready to discuss this in adult manner, come find me," he said frustrated, rolled his eyes, and shouldered passed her.

Elena stood with her back to a fleeing Damon, her eyes watered. She couldn't believe her failed attempts to convince him to remain with her had failed, but nevertheless, Elena wasn't ready to give up on her other epic love. She wiped the wetness from under her eyes and looked at the door that stood between her and Bonnie. She wanted so badly to go inside and give Bonnie a piece of her mind.

Her hand reached slowly for the doorknob when a raspy voice from behind stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Elena, are you coming?" Damon asked in a stern voice, but it was more of a demand than a question, but he decided to be polite and not agitate the waters any further.

Elena turned swiftly around. Their eyes locked. A serious stare off resulted. Damon was annoyed with Elena and quite put out with everything she had said to him.

…and Elena was infuriated with Damon, she didn't believe for one moment that he truly loved Bonnie and she was quite upset with him for making her have to convince him of that fact.

They starred seriously at each other for well over five minutes before Lucy interrupted.

"Damon, is Bonnie alright?" she asked.

Damon stared at Elena a few moments longer before rolling his eyes at his ex, then turned a more endearing gaze to Lucy.

"Yes, she's asleep." Damon lied. He didn't want Lucy to know that Bonnie was angry with him.

"Great. She needs her rest," Lucy said, then smiled at Damon. "Elena, I hope you're not thinking of disturbing my cousin. Whatever grievance you have with her can wait until tomorrow," she said in a commanding tone.

"Unfortunately, I don't see it your way," Elena spat back.

Lucy pressed her lips tightly together, then marched toward Elena.

"Whoa, whoa. Ladies, let's take it down a notch," Damon replied as he caught Lucy by the waist, ushering her in front of him.

"If you think I am going to stand idly by and allow her to grill my cousin on her first night home, then you would be mistaken," Lucy hissed, then snatched away from Damon.

Damon quickly pulled her back into him. "I will handle this. Will you let me handle this?" he spat.

"Well, handle it!" Lucy shot back.

Damon narrowed his eyes at Lucy, then turned to face Elena.

"Lucy is right. You need to leave Elena. Tempers are flared and one can hardly have a sensible conversation when everyone is angry," he firmly explained.

Elena looked angrily between Lucy and Damon, who both looked annoyed. Elena knew she couldn't have her way while Bonnie's bodyguards were present. She marched passed the two and rolled her eyes at them before quickly descending the stairs. Once she arrived at the end of the stairwell, her eyes immediately locked with Stefan's.

He flashed her a wounded look, his arms folded over his chest. He forced out a timid smile. Elena exhaled and took a few steps toward him as she stuffed her hands into her back pockets.

"I'm glad you're home Stefan," she said in a raspy voice.

"Me too," Stefan replied, then smiled.

They stared at each other for a minute before Jeremy broke their awkward moment.

"Elena, how is Bonnie?" he asked.

"I don't know. She's asleep. Lucy and Damon won't let me talk to her," she replied, annoyed.

"I am not leaving until I speak with her," Jeremy demanded.

"Yes, you are. You can speak with her tomorrow," Stefan answered sternly, a severe look on his face.

Elena's jaw dropped. She and Jeremy flashed Stefan and unbelieving look.

"I'm staying, and I'm going to talk to Bonnie," Jeremy responded sternly.

Elena exhaled and rolled her eyes as she made her way over to her brother. "Jeremy, we can talk to her tomorrow, okay? She needs her rest," she explained calmly as she took her brother by the shoulders and turned his gaze to hers.

Stefan flashed her a puzzling look. Elena was much calmer than she was when speaking to his brother upstairs. Seeing Elena be more sensible when around him made him feel proud. He didn't realize that he still had so much effect on her.

_Don't get too cocky, Stefan. She's probably afraid of Lucy setting her ass on fire,_ he said in thought and then smirked outwardly.

"Stefan, tell Bonnie that we'll come by tomorrow," Elena said, then smiled at Stefan. He smiled back and then watched Jeremy, Cassie, and Elena leave.

Stefan's gaze remained fixated on the door after Elena and the others left. His focus shifted to Caroline when he felt her cool fingers intertwine with his. He looked down at their interlocked fingers. He anxiously wiggled them in her hand. He didn't know what it was, but he couldn't quite make the connection with her.

"Did Elena say that Bonnie was asleep?" Caroline asked.

"Yeah," he replied.

"Is Bonnie really pregnant by Damon?" Caroline asked in a disbelieving tone.

"Yup, they're having a baby," Stefan answered happily, but to his surprise, Caroline's expression showed a different sentiment.

"Is that a bad thing Caroline, Bonnie being pregnant by my brother?"

"Well…" She paused, "I don't understand why she, Bonnie, would sleep with him," Caroline answered, then frowned.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Stefan frowned at her remark.

"Ugh," Caroline huffed and rolled her eyes. "Don't be angry. It's your first day back. Come sit down. Tell me where you all were and what it was like. I really like your retro outfit." Caroline was now all smiles. She glowed with bliss. She rushed Stefan over to the couch.

Enzo worked himself over to the bar. He made himself at home. The Salvatore house was his temporary living place after all. He poured himself a stiff drink and downed it before flashing Caroline and Stefan a wounded look.

He then became puzzled at how talkative and happy Caroline was versus Stefan's lack of interest in what she was going on and on about. Enzo poured himself another drink, then took the chair across from the couch, which was across from where Stefan and Caroline sat.

"Stefan? Stefan? Are you listening to me?!" Caroline shouted, annoyed.

"Huh? What? What did I miss?" Stefan questioned as if he were just entering the room.

"She asked what's the giant loogie looking crap that just rolled out of that bag?"

Stefan looked at the verdant fruit for a second, then let out a light chortle. "Oh, oh, that's fruit!" he answered excitedly then looked at Caroline. "Damon swears it…" Stefan trailed off and deeply swallowed. "You know what… never mind." He smiled.

"No, what is it mate?" Enzo questioned.

"Tell us, Stefan. We want to know about where you were and what it was like."

"Guys. I would love to tell you everything that happened, but can it wait until tomorrow?" Stefan gave Caroline a stoic look as he placed his hand on top of hers.

Caroline flashed him a disappointed expression. This is not the response that she wanted from the man that had told her that he loved her.

"Oh, oh, okay," Caroline answered disappointedly as she slowly got to her feet and grabbed her things.

Stefan slowly rose too. He hadn't forgotten how to be a gentleman.

They were now standing, looking at each other. Stefan with his soft smile and Caroline with a somber look on her face.

"So, I guess I'll come by tomorrow," she said timidly, then forced herself to smile.

"Yes, please," Stefan responded, still a pleasant look on his face.

Enzo watched the two carefully with his arms folded over his chest.

"Okay," Caroline said. She looked at Stefan for a second, then wrapped her arms around him. She squeezed him tightly to her as she closed her eyes. She held onto him longer than she should have. She finally pulled away, and when she did, she was disappointed to see Stefan still wearing a goofy nonchalant grin.

"I love you Stefan."

"Okay," he replied and kept grinning.

Caroline's eyes watered and she politely nodded.

"Caroline, I need to make a run downtown. Do you want to come and maybe stop by The Grill for drinks after?" Enzo interrupted. He hoped that his invitation to have Caroline accompany him would cause Stefan's little green monster to show, but to his disappointment, his invite to Caroline fell on deaf ears.

"Huh, what?" Caroline asked in a trance like state.

"Do you want to accompany me downtown and to The Grill?"

"Oh, yeah, sure. Stefan, is this okay with you?"

"Yeah, I think it's great that you two are bonding." Stefan threw his hands nonchalantly in the air, then rested them on his hips.

"Well, okay. I guess I'll see you later." Caroline observed Stefan for a moment.

Enzo walked towards the entrance and waited for Caroline.

Caroline held Stefan's gaze as she slowly walked towards the foyer. As she blindly walked, she hoped that Stefan would say those three little words to her now while he was very much alive and aware of his feelings for her. She stopped as she entered the entrance of the foyer and placed a hand against the wall.

"I love you Stefan," she declared sweetly once more.

"Thank you Caroline, for being my friend and caring about me," he replied gratefully as he placed his hands into his pocket.

Caroline smiled, alas, those three little words still did not escape Stefan's lips.

"Bye Stefan." Caroline took off. She rushed passed Enzo and right out the door.

Stefan sat down on the couch and looked out at the patio at Tyler, Melissa, and Matt. His mind went back to Gardenia and the complicated life he had there. Even with his rocky start, he felt a peace there that he had not had in a long time.

His focus soon shifted to the argument Elena and Damon had upstairs. He instantly felt disappointed in the person that his ex-girlfriend had become. He had wished that he had tried a little harder at convincing her to take the cure when it was at her disposal. He then wondered if she had taking the cure would she have come to love him again.

Everything was a big 'If' with Elena. He had thought so many times that she was different from Katherine, but in the end, she was worse, and he partially hated himself for coming into her life.

His thoughts then drifted off to his conversation with Caroline. He smiled when he thought about her telling him she loved him. As her words echoed in his mind, a horrible feeling came over him. Caroline thought that he was in love with her. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt a friend, especially Caroline who had been there for him after Elena's discretion, and when his brother had passed.

He wished so badly that he could return Caroline's feelings, but the more he tried to envision a romantic future with her, the more horrible he felt.

"Hey," a husky voice said from behind.

Stefan slowly turned around to see his brother standing there behind him with his hands in his pockets, his cheeks flushed and a guilty look on his face.

"Hey… cheating bastard," Stefan mumbled under his breath as he turned his gaze back towards the patio.

"I fucked up, Stefan," Damon said under his breath.

"That's what you do Damon. You fuck up." Stefan grabbed his drink off the table and took a sip of the amber liquid.

"I love Bonnie. You know that."

"You sure have a funny way of showing your love," Stefan replied.

A tension filled silence soon fell over the room.

Damon was paralyzed with guilt as he dazed at the back of his brother's head. This was not the homecoming he wanted. The only people that he was prepared to be mad at him were Elena and Jeremy, not Stefan and Bonnie, too.

"Every time… I let you back in… you hurt me," Stefan said with his back to his brother. "I told you back in Gardenia that I still have feelings for Elena, but you couldn't help but kiss her." He paused. "You will always be a selfish asshole."

Damon continued to stare at his brother with a devastated look in his eyes. He remained frozen in that one spot, still looking at his brother. He looked at Stefan for so long that his eyes dried out, and he stood for so long that his feet began to hurt. He finally found the strength to creep over to the couch. He sat down beside his brother, so close that their elbows touched.

Damon then grabbed Stefan's glass of bourbon off the coffee table. He took a sip of it, then nudged Stefan's arm with the back of the hand that held the drink.

Stefan slowly turned his gaze to his brother. He looked at him for a second before taking the glass. He turned away from Damon before gulping down the rest of the liquor.

"I get the last drop, ha!" he joked in a cracked voice.

"I bet you wish you never left Gardenia," Damon said playfully in a low husky voice.

"Yeah, duh, no shit," Stefan replied through his tears. He then let out a gentle chortle, and Damon followed.

They laughed to keep from crying about their bittersweet homecoming.

( ~ )

Damon tossed and turned in his oversized king bed. He tried lying down next to Bonnie in their temporary bedroom, but the aneurysms she kept giving him became too much to bear.

"We're married, Bennett. You're supposed to forgive me?" he whispered.

Damon closed his eyes, then quickly opened them. For months he fell asleep with Bonnie's warm leg stretched across his while she gently caressed his chest with her warm, delicate hands. It was next to impossible for him to try and sleep in his oversize bed all alone, feeling nothing but his cold sheets against his skin.

Bonnie's absence wasn't the only thing that disrupted his sleep. The sounds of his home were now unfamiliar to him. He longed to hear the thumping of his baby's heartbeat and the stillness of Gardenia's night sky. He was once used to the sounds of the fire crackling and the ticking of the clock, but now those sounds were utterly maddening.

"Ugh," Damon lowly grunted as he turned his gaze to the dripping of his bathroom faucet.

He looked at the door into the eerily and extremely dark bathroom. He hadn't seen such darkness in a long time. The three moons on Gardenia kept things well lit at night. One felt completely safe strolling the woods alone there. Even with the new vampire creatures lurking about.

Damon looked at the darkness for well over ten minutes before deciding to do something about his dripping faucet. He slowly climbed out of bed. He walked cautiously to the bathroom entrance as if the boogie man would jump out and grab him. Once his hand was in reach of the switch, he used his vamp speed to turn it on. His eyes widened after hitting the light switch.

Damon Salvatore was spooked, and for no unearthly reason. Perhaps it was his guilty conscious eating him alive. Knowing that he had hurt the two people that he loved the most, made him feel crummy inside.

Damon slowly walked to the sink and gradually turned the handle. "On Gardenia, you only used what you got. No wasting shit there," he said.

He looked around the bathroom, checking for what, he didn't know. After seeing that all was clear, he went back to bed, and he made sure to leave the light on in the bathroom.

Damon lied down on his back and propped his head up with his hand. His mind was able to reminisce about Bonnie without worrying about what lurked in the darkness due to the light that now filtered throughout the room. He now felt a real sense of home, his home back on Gardenia.

Memories of his and Bonnie's wedding began to play out in his head. He smiled and practically giggled in remembrance of it all. As the mantra of euphoric thoughts swam through his mind, a bright idea popped into his head and a devious grin crept across his lips. "Mhm, I know what will make you forgive me, Bon Bon," he said and then smiled.

Damon's thoughts were interrupted when he heard footstep outside his door. He knew that walk. He jumped out of bed and flashed to the door. He snatched it open to none other than Bonnie.

Bonnie carried in her hand a bag of chips, a jug of ice cream, and a bowl that held a sandwich, a pickle, cookies, and in her free hand, she carried a tall glass of milk.

Bonnie halted abruptly in her tracks, almost dropping her midnight snacks in the process. Damon's eyes watched as the milk that swished out of Bonnie's glass splattered onto the wooden floor.

His eyes lingered at the spilt milk for a second before they traveled back up to Bonnie's beautiful emerald eyes.

"I'm not picking that shit up," Bonnie said spitefully.

"How, how are you? Did you get enough for me too?" Damon stammered nervously for the words, then flashed her a sweet smile.

"Don't talk to me." Bonnie stared evilly at him for a second, then rolled her eyes at him and rushed off.

Damon angrily turned around and watched her hustle off to her room, dragging her slippers across the floor as she went.

"AHHHHH, YOU'RE SO FUCKING INFURIATING!" he yelled and flexed his muscles.

"Go fuck yourself!" Bonnie yelled back.

"I will! It's not like I'm getting it from you!" Damon shot angrily back.

"Fine!" she yelled.

"Great!" he yelled back.

"Awesome!" hollered Bonnie.

"Wonderful!" hollered Damon.

"Beautiful!" she screamed.

"Extraordinary!" he screamed.

"Stop trying to outdo me!" Bonnie squawked at the top of her lungs as she stretched her body with the tip of her toes, dropping her bag of chips in the process.

"I will not pick up your chips or your fucking spilled milk!" Damon yelled loudly before kicking the wall and marching inside his room, slamming the door shut behind him.

"Ugh!" Bonnie loudly grunted, then marched inside her room next. She popped back out the door and grabbed her bag of chips, then slammed the door shut.

Five minutes later, Stefan and Lucy dragged themselves outside to see what was the raucous.

"Hey," Lucy called tiredly.

"Hey," Stefan answered back.

"Who's doing all the yelling?" she asked.

"Damon and Bonnie," Stefan answered nonchalantly.

"Oh," Lucy answered. An awkward silence quickly ensued as they looked passively at each other.

Stefan leaned against the door frame, folded his arms over his chest as he cocked his head to one side, and then smiled. Lucy flashed him a mutual look before going back inside her room.

Stefan stared at her closed door for several seconds with a wondering look in his eyes. He perked up when he saw and heard the door creeping open. He walked slowly to the entrance and peeped inside. Lucy smiled at him as she patted the bed, inviting him inside. Stefan anxiously passed the threshold. He closed and locked the door behind him, and then flashed over to Lucy.

"How you doing?" he asked in a Joey Tribbiani impersonation.

Lucy laughed, then kissed him sweetly on the lips. Their kiss quickly turned heated. Five minutes later their clothes were strewn across the floor and Lucy was spread eagle underneath Stefan. Lucy loudly moaned, scratched, and palmed Stefan's ass as he pumped her with vigor.

Damon keyed in on Stefan's and Lucy's love making instantaneously. "Stefan and Lucy?" he questioned unbelievably. "Oh. My. God!" he screamed.

He hit his forehead in frustration, rolled on his belly, and then covered his head with his pillow. He held his pillow with a death grip over his ears to drown out the sounds of the two having sex as he screamed into his mattress. Any other night, Damon Salvatore would have enjoyed listening to his brother having sex with a beautiful woman two rooms down from him, but not on this night.

( ~ )

Damon woke up at five in the morning after a restless and sleepless night. Despite the argument he had with Bonnie, he was determined not to repeat the yelling match they had the night before. He was going to woo Bonnie. Mystify Bonnie. He was going to make her emotions churn inside of her like a tidal wave and he knew just how to do it.

Bonnie was yet to hear the beautiful sound of their child's heartbeat like he was so fortunate to be able to do every night since the baby's heart began to beat inside of its mother. So today, he was going to surprise her with a visit to the doctor's office. Then later, he planned to take her to the lake for a picnic, but his bigger surprise would come after they made it home.

Damon rushed to get ready for the day, but he had to bide his time, because it was still too early and the doctor's office was still closed.

After showering and getting dressed, he went downstairs and made breakfast for everyone, but for Bonnie, he made special pancakes. He stacked three fluffy pancakes on her plate. It took him at least ten tries to get the pancakes just perfect. He was great at cooking many things but pancakes weren't one of them.

After placing the pancakes perfectly on her plate, he topped them with two blue berries for eyes and a whipped cream smiley face with vampire fangs.

He smiled proudly at his creation as he placed her plate onto a tray along with a tall glass of milk and a rose.

Damon grabbed the tray and headed for the kitchen door when he spotted the clock on the wall.

"Oh!" he chirped. He then whipped out his phone, called Meredith who happily worked him into her schedule.

After hanging up with Meredith, Damon hurriedly took the food up to Bonnie.

He couldn't wait to show her what he had done for her. He wanted Bonnie to be filled with glee with his surprise, but he knew her all too well. He knew that Bonnie would still probably be angry with him, but today, he wasn't going to allow her actions to cause him to react. He was going to do what Damon Salvatore normally didn't do, be calm and collected.

He realized as he quickly climbed the steps that he was asking a lot of himself, but the fate of his marriage depended on him making things right with Bonnie.

Damon finally made it to the bedroom entrance. He sat the tray down on the floor, then cracked the door. He peeped inside to see Bonnie still sound asleep. He frowned after spying the huge mess on her bed side table and on the floor around the bed.

He grabbed the tray and walked stealthily inside as to not awaking her. He sat the tray at the foot of her bed, then flashed to the windows and ripped the drapes open. He then picked up the empty bag of chips and the practically empty jug of ice cream up off the floor and tossed them into the garbage can. He then stacked up the dirty dishes on the nightstand and sat them on the dresser.

Damon sat down on the bed beside Bonnie. He leaned over and trailed sweet kisses down her face and repeatedly over her scorching tawny cheek.

"Mmm," Bonnie pleasantly moaned. She stretched out on the bed, a little smile crept across her lips.

"Good morning you," Damon's husky voice broke through her slumber.

Bonnie slowly opened her eyes, a smile still on her face. She instantly frowned when she saw that it was Damon sitting on the bed, kissing and touching her. She quickly looked around the room, seeing that she wasn't in her dream, which was set in Gardenia. She was back in Mystic Falls, so Damon did indeed betray her by kissing Elena. Their kiss wasn't a nightmare.

"Get out," she mumbled.

"No. We have a long day ahead of us and you need to eat," Damon said sternly, then hopped to his feet.

He grabbed the tray from the foot of the bed and sat it over Bonnie's legs.

"I don't want your food. I'd rather starve."

"You did eat everything but the kitchen sink last night, so," he trailed off and stood directly over her, a cocky grin spread across his lips.

Bonnie looked suspiciously up at him, then down at the vampire pancakes. Her eyes traveled quickly back up to a proud Damon. She grew angry with the goofy look on his face.

"You like my vampire pancakes? I made them just for you," he said sweetly.

Bonnie grabbed her fork and repeatedly stabbed the pancakes until they were nothing but mush.

Damon's eyes widened in horror, but he had expected Bonnie to do sometime vindictive. He quickly gained his composure. He flashed Bonnie a crooked smile, then leaned into her and whispered, "Don't take it out on the pancakes."

"Ugh!" Bonnie loudly grunted.

Damon winked at her, then speedily walked to the exit. "Hurry up and get dressed! Meredith said she can see us at nine and I don't want to be late!" he yelled as he walked swiftly out the door.

( ~ )

Bonnie lied on the bed, and Damon stood in the doctor's office, a weighty and tension filled silence between them.

Bonnie didn't look Damon's way not once. She had managed to ignore him at home and during the drive to the doctor's office.

Damon looked intently around the room. Occasionally he would steal affectionate glances at Bonnie who was lying down in a clinic gown, her knees propped up in the air, and a hand on her pregnant belly.

Damon did not want things to be this way between them, but he knew he had to keep chipping away at the emotional wall that he had caused Bonnie to build.

"So, do you think we're having a girl?"

Damon wanted a son because a boy could carry on his name, but he would be completely happy with a little girl as well. He had envisioned what his life would be like with a girl or a boy. He thought about being a father just as much, if not more than he did about Bonnie for that matter.

Bonnie didn't respond to Damon's question but she really wanted to. After much debate over her behavior, she decided to let go of her pride and do what was best for herself and her marriage.

No matter how angry Bonnie was with Damon, she didn't want her marriage to be over and she very much wanted to be happy.

Damon looked at Bonnie, a somber look on his face. He was sure conversation about their baby would move Bonnie to speak.

"Of course it's a girl," she murmured, not sparing Damon a glance.

"What should we name her?"

"I don't care," Bonnie replied dryly.

Damon leaned against the counter and folded his arms over his chest. He continued to look absorbedly at Bonnie, hoping that she would look at him. He needed a sign, an invitation to walk over to her and touch and love on her.

"We can name her Zinnia," he suggested.

Damon had peaked Bonnie's curiosity, but now he had her attention by mentioning her good friend back on Gardenia.

Bonnie slowly turned her narrow gaze to Damon as she contemplated what he had suggested.

Damon could see the wheels in Bonnie's head turning. He anticipated a response from her, but Bonnie still wouldn't engage in conversation with him.

"You don't think Zinnia is a pretty name?" he asked.

"It's okay. I guess," she replied.

As Damon was about to respond, the technician entered the room. The woman introduced herself as Christina, made small talk and asked a few questions. Damon was the only one to respond. Bonnie still had not perked up.

Damon informed Christina about Bonnie not seeing an official doctor her entire pregnancy, and that he and Bonnie wanted pictures as well as to hear the baby's heartbeat. He had already explained this to Meredith, who said that she would do it after the ultrasound, but Damon's eagerness and determination outweighed his patience and remembrance for things at present.

Bonnie finally showed signs of life after the woman applied the cold gel to her very round belly.

"That's cold," Bonnie said agitatedly as she stared keenly down at the lump of gel on her belly.

"Sorry," Christina replied, then smiled.

Bonnie's and Damon's eyes were directed to the monitor, but Damon only had eyes for Bonnie in this moment. He desperately wanted to see Bonnie's reaction to seeing their baby for the very first time.

Damon was tickled pink at seeing Bonnie struggle between expressing and not expressing her true feelings of the incredible moment that they were now living in, but her watery eyes and slightly quivering lips instantly gave her secret away.

Damon smiled at her as he relaxed his right arm over the bed. He ran his finger across her forehead and swept the invisible strands of hair to the side of her temple.

"Is that its arm?" Bonnie asked in a cracked voice as she pointed to the screen.

Christina answered her question and then went over all the visible body parts.

Damon leaned into Bonnie, then whispered against her forehead. "That's our baby Bonnie," he said in amazement at seeing his baby timidly move inside of its mother. He then smiled down at an unsuspected Bonnie before leaning down to kiss her cheek.

Bonnie covered her mouth in an effort to hide her quivering lips.

"Is it a girl? It has to be a girl, because I don't want a Damon junior," Bonnie announced in a shaky voice, fighting back her sobs.

Damon burst into a fit of laughter. Bonnie snatched him a dagger like gaze. She watched him for several seconds. As she watched him be so happy, her mind went back to Gardenia, to a happier time in her life with Damon.

Bonnie began to giggle. Her eyes widened when she heard the happy sound escape her. She wasn't ready to give into Damon. She wanted to hold onto her anger for a little while longer. Bonnie made herself recall that awful day at the boarding house.

She balled up her fist as visions of Damon kissing Elena played out in her mind. She then punched Damon in the gut with all her might. The move halted Damon's blissful moment straightaway.

"Ah, ah, ssss, owwww. What the hell?" Damon moaned as he intently rubbed his belly trying to rub out the pain.

"Oh, wow. Are you okay, Mr. Salvatore?"

"Uhhh, yeah. I'll be okay." Damon rubbed his tummy a little longer, then stood erect. He shot Bonnie, who was evilly smirking at him a serious gaze.

"Mrs. Salvatore, you get your wish. No Damon junior."

"Aww, see… I told you it was a girl," Damon said excitedly, then smiled lovingly down at Bonnie.

Bonnie looked at Damon as happy tears rolled down her cheeks. "We're having a girl," she said in a shaky voice.

"Yup," Damon replied. He leaned down and gave Bonnie a kiss on the cheek, and to his total surprise, Bonnie wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed him tightly to her.

Bonnie could no longer withhold her affections from the man she loved. She softly cried into Damon's neck as she buried her nose and lips snugly against his cool skin.

Bonnie's warm breath sent chills down Damon's spine. He was so enraptured by her touch that he shoveled his arms underneath her small frame and brought her even closer to him.

"Oops, oh, okay," Christina rushed out as she scurried out of the way of the cuddling duo.

Damon held onto Bonnie for several minutes before pulling away from her. He looked affectionately down on her, then asked, "So, does this mean you forgive me?" he asked ever so sweetly in a low husky voice.

Bonnie flashed him a fake smile, then replied, "Not a chance in hell." She glared.

"Great," Damon replied then rolled his eyes.

( ~ )

After leaving the doctor's office, Damon took Bonnie to a department store so that they could pick up some things for the baby.

Damon made it a point to take Bonnie by the bed and bath department which was the long way to baby apparel.

As they walked through the bedding department, Bonnie's eyes wondered and lingered at the fine bedding. Damon found himself often stopping due to Bonnie's rubbernecking.

"Hold up," Bonnie murmured as she walked alongside Damon.

"Why are you looking at comforters? We don't need bedding," Damon said as if Bonnie's actions were preposterous.

"If you don't want to wait, then leave," Bonnie said nastily.

Damon flashed her a fake smile, then whipped out his phone. He waited patiently and snapped photos of an unsuspecting as she perused and gushed over some of the bedcovers. After successfully gathering enough images, he texted Lucy the pictures along with a huge favor.

Bonnie spent well over an hour in the bedding department, and it wasn't so much that she was so taking by all that she saw. She did it solely to aggravate Damon, but little did she know, Damon had hoped that she would want to visit this part of the store all along.

After buying some things for the baby and making a quick stop by the house, Damon took Bonnie to the lake for a picnic, and to his disappointment, she protested every step of the way, but he continued on.

Damon laid out the blanket, well he wrestled with the blanket, then laid it down on the ground. Bonnie lightly sniggered at her night and shining armor. Their supposed quixotic moment turned very prosaic and fast.

Damon was used to charming the ladies out of their underwear, but wining and dinning them was out of his realm of expertise. After finally laying down the blanket, he laid out the food. Bonnie began to feel all warm and gushy inside at seeing him be so attentive. She moseyed over to the blanket and kneeled slowly down on top of it. She placed her palms down onto her lap and continued to watch Damon set up their picnic.

Damon smiled proudly at what he had done and flashed Bonnie a goofy grin. "This is a nice spread Lucy fixed for us, don't you think?"

"Lucy, made this? Why am I not surprised." Bonnie shook her head at Damon and smiled.

Bonnie began fixing her plate. Damon smiled all the while at her as she dipped out some of the pasta salad. A lightbulb soon went off in his head. Here was the perfect moment for him to be the hopeless romantic, to be chivalrous.

"Here, let me," he said, then waggled his eyes at her. He gently grabbed Bonnie's plate before loading it down with food.

Damon watched her eat as she looked out at the scenery with a blank look in her eyes. A gentle breeze blew, causing Bonnie's dark locks to flutter in the wind. Bonnie Bennett had never looked more precious to Damon Salvatore than she did right now in his oversized white t-shirt and the black leggings she borrowed from Melissa.

Damon thought that Bonnie was way too precious to be heartbroken. She was too precious to cry until her eyes were all puffy and bloodshot. Damon then remembered that he made his precious Bonnie Bennett experience all those things because of his selfish and thoughtless behavior.

"I'm sorry, Bonnie," he whispered brokenheartedly into the wind.

Bonnie placed her fork in her plate and turned her gaze to him. This was the apology she wanted. The one where Damon actually saw the effects of his poor decision. She could see the hurt in his eyes. It was partly there the night before, but she could tell that Damon halfway expected her to understand why he did what he had done, but now, looking into his silvery blue eyes, she could see that this was a man who got it. This was a man who finally understood that he had hurt her.

"I want you in my life. I don't want to lose you. I don't want to lose what we have, Bonnie. Please give me another chance. I promise I won't disappoint you again," Damon declared fearfully and remorsefully in a cracked and tremoring voice.

Bonnie gazed intently at him. Her eyes watered at seeing him so beautifully broken as he sat there before her. She reached her hand out to him and trailed her fingers down his perfect, chiseled face. Damon took her hand into his strong hand and lovingly kissed the inside of it as he closed his eyes.

Damon slowly opened his eyes. He stared at Bonnie with his glistening pale blue eyes, and her glistening emerald eyes stared right back at him.

"So… does this mean you forgive me?" he asked in a low husky voice.

"Mmm, do I have a choice?"

"Ugh," Damon rolled his eyes and fell back to the ground.

Bonnie let out an exaggerated laugh, then hopped on top of Damon. She kissed him madly all over his face, and he gushed and heartedly laughed all the while.

( ~ )

Bonnie and Damon made it home late that afternoon. They walked in to the house hand and hand.

Lucy jumped up from the sofa and gawked at a blissful looking Damon and Bonnie.

"Aww, you two reconciled." Lucy gushed.

"Yeah, it was either forgive him or kill him," Bonnie said jokingly.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Damon replied sarcastically.

"You've been home for well over a day, and I still haven't gotten a chance to hug you," Lucy said as she swiftly walked over to Bonnie. She swung her arms around her and squeezed her tightly. "Mmm, it's so good to see you again, and a pregnant you at that."

"Yup," Bonnie replied and smiled after Lucy pulled away. "I hope now that I'm home, you will stick around. It would be nice to be surrounded by family," she said sweetly.

"Don't worry. I'm here to stay. Someone has to protect you from yourself," Lucy mocked and Damon sniggered.

"Hey," Bonnie warned.

"Where is everyone?" Damon asked.

"Stefan ran an errand. Enzo is God knows where, and Melissa and Tyler are upstairs."

"It's time for Melissa, and your little friend Cassie to find somewhere else to live," Damon rushed out, irritated.

"Damon," Bonnie said, then shook her head.

"What? They do need to leave. We're having a baby, who needs a place to sleep by the way." Damon narrowed his eyes incredulously at Bonnie.

"You're right. My friends and I have worn our welcome out. It's time we leave."

"Damon," Bonnie warned, again.

"You don't have to leave Lucy, just your friends."

Bonnie grabbed her forehead and shook her head and Lucy laughed.

"He's right Bonnie. We were all going to leave anyway because things hadn't worked out the way we planned, but now that you're home, I will ask them to leave, but I will stay, okay? I can help you with the baby."

"Really?" Bonnie beamed.

"Yes," Lucy answered happily.

Damon happily watched Lucy's and Bonnie's loving exchange, then Bonnie and Lucy looked at Damon, expecting him to say something else.

They were soon all standing around the living room with goofy grins on their faces, wondering what to talk about next.

Lucy lightly sighed and swayed gently in place as her eyes wandered around the living room and occasionally between Bonnie and Damon. She did this for few moments before spotting the matching diamond and sapphire bracelets that Bonnie and Damon were wearing.

"What beautiful bracelets? Were they gifts from the people in the other dimension?"

"They were gifts, but they're something else too," Bonnie said.

"Oh, my God, are these wedding bracelets?" Lucy inquired, astonishingly.

"Yes," Bonnie answered as she eagerly cut her eyes up to her cousin.

"Wow! Congratulations! I'm so happy for you, but I'm sure Elena won't be so happy." Lucy went from being excited, to being worried at the blink of an eye.

Bonnie immediately looked at Damon. She was curious as to what his reaction would be to Lucy's remark.

"I'll deal with Elena. I won't let her come between me and Bonnie." Damon flashed Lucy a serious expression.

Bonnie smiled. She was pleased with his answer. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly. Damon looked down at their intertwined hands and squeezed back before smiling affectionately at Bonnie.

As Bonnie held onto Damon's hand, shifting her gaze quickly from Lucy to him, she recalled the conversation Elena and Damon had outside her bedroom door. Back in Gardenia, she shuttered with the mere thought of a conversation with Elena about her affections for Damon, but hearing her best friend say that Damon didn't love her and that he was only with her because of the baby awakened something inside Bonnie.

Their conversation help prepare Bonnie for what was to come. She was ready to fight for her family, but now, she really needed to rest and she felt sorry for the poor soul who would try to get in the way of her doing just that.

"I'd love to talk about Elena and her feelings, but right now, I'm too tired, so… I'm going to take a nap. Please wake me for diner," Bonnie announced.

"Wait, wait, I have another surprise for you," Damon said excitedly.

Bonnie cocked her head to one side and flashed Damon a curious gaze.

"Come on," Damon said, then gestured to the stairwell with his head as he held out a hand in offering.

Bonnie stared at his offering hand for a second before deciding to take it. Damon led her upstairs. They walked slowly down the hall and stopped in front of Damon's room.

Bonnie immediately frowned. Straightaway she knew that Damon had probably made inconsequential changes to his bedroom in the hopes that she would be 'A' okay with it and simply agree to move back in with him because of his grand great deed. But Bonnie wasn't about to let Damon manipulate her, not in the slightest.

Damon grabbed the doorknob and slowly opened the door. Bonnie went slack jawed and wide-eyed at the appearance of the room.

Damon looked back at an astounded Bonnie. She was frozen and speechless by the mesmerizing view in front of her. Damon had to pilot a flabbergasted and motionless Bonnie a few steps in front of him to get a better view of their new room which was decorated with almost everything that she had gushed over at the store.

The dark burgundy comforter was gone and had been replaced with the most stunning white duvet and with what seemed like a thousand toss pillows, all white, and in various shapes and sizes.

Damon had completely done away with the old dark décor. The room was now bright and vibrant. It perfectly symbolized everything that Bonnie and Damon were now to each other, effervescent, lively, and unadulterated.

Bonnie found her feet. She strolled over to the bed and let her fingers walk over the soft comforter. She stood erect and placed her hands on her hips and looked carefully around the room.

She beamed at everything, from the striped red and white sheer drapes, the sheer turquoise inner curtain, the white lamps with red shades, the turquoise accented wall paper, the turquoise chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and the pale yellow and red floral patterned sofa chair accompanied by a darker red chair decorated with turquoise and lighter red floral patterns. The room was straight out of a magazine and Bonnie absolutely loved it.

Bonnie quickly turned around to face Damon. She flashed him a dazzlingly smile.

"You did this for me? You gave up the room you loved for me?" She questioned all teary eyed.

"I'll do anything for you Bonnie. This small gesture is not even a fraction of what you are worth. You deserve so much more."

"You're just now figuring that out?" Bonnie giggled, her emerald eyes glistened. "But really, Damon, it's too much."

Damon flashed to her, "No," he shook his head. "It's not too much. It's not enough, Bonnie. I could give you the world and it still wouldn't be enough," he declared in an aching voice.

Bonnie grabbed Damon's hand and rested it on her belly. She then looked deep into his silvery blue eyes.

"This little girl… she is everything, and you gave her to me."

Damon flashed her a shy smile. "Correction, you're giving her to me."

"You fought for her, Damon. You fought for me."

"…and I will never stop fighting for you," he replied.

"Good." She nodded.

Bonnie wrapped her arms around Damon's neck. He wrapped his around her waist. They smiled yearningly at each other for what seemed like eternity before Damon decided to kiss her lips. He pecked her lips sweetly. His mauve pouty lips lingered against hers. He pulled away slowly and flashed her a longing look. Bonnie flashed him a mutual expression.

Damon then pecked her lips, again, then again. He was completely enraptured by the sound of his lips pecking hers.

"I could kiss you all day," he whispered.

"I want you to kiss me all day," she replied.

"Damon," Stefan called from behind.

"Go away!" Damon huffed, and Stefan laughed.

"Alright, I'll go, but who's going to help you pick up your little girl's baby bed and the other boat load of shit you bought?"

"Ugh!" Damon grunted at the ceiling, Bonnie still in his grasp.

"You think you'll be okay here alone?" he asked Bonnie.

"I won't be alone. Lucy's here, and Melissa and Tyler are lurking around here somewhere," Bonnie said, then smiled.

"Okay, I'll be back soon. Get some rest," Damon responded, then kissed her forehead before saying goodbye.

"Dude, you let Bonnie decorate your room?" Stefan inquired as he looked around the room with an admiring gaze. "So this is where Lucy put all that crap we picked up at the store. It's so pretty. It makes me feel so pretty and special," Stefan said teasingly as they walked out the door.

"Shut up!" Damon snapped. Bonnie giggled at their exchange.

After Damon left, Bonnie thought that she would be able to go right to sleep, but she was too excited and happy to sleep or even eat for that matter.

She smiled blissfully as she looked around the room again at all the new things. She was even surprised to see that the pictures of Elena were gone.

"Bonnie," Lucy's voice interrupted her serene moment.

"Lucy, hey. You did a wonderful job on the room."

"You like it?"

"I love it!"

"Impromptu decorating is the reason I love being a witch." Lucy flashed Bonnie a sweet smile.

"…and here I thought destroying your enemies with a simple chant or with the flick of your fingers was the reason why you loved being a witch," Bonnie teased and they laughed.

"Hey, I'm going to the store to pick up some things for diner. Do you need anything?" Lucy asked.

"No, I'm good."

"Okay, well if you need me, or change your mind, call me," Lucy replied, then left the room.

Bonnie watched the exit for a moment after Lucy left before turning towards the bed. She lied down on her side and covered her body with the eggshell throw laying across the bed. She closed her eyes. After fifteen minutes of lying down, her eyes finally began to feel heavy. As Bonnie was about to fall into a deep sleep, the doorbell rang.

"Great," she murmured.

Bonnie slowly rose to a seated position. She sat on the side of the bed for a few moments, then willed herself to get up. She walked downstairs to the front entrance. She looked out the peep hole. She freaked when she saw that it was Jeremy, Elena, Matt, and Caroline, standing outside the door.

"Shit," Bonnie whispered in horror. She looked around the house, realizing that she was completely alone.

She deeply inhaled, then exhaled before saying a quick prayer for strength then opened the door.

"Hey," she greeted nervously.

"Bonnie!" Caroline yelled before throwing her arms around her best friend and squeezing her tightly to her.

"Hey Bonnie. I'm so glad you're home," Matt greeted next before also giving Bonnie a warm, tight hug and a kiss on the cheek. He then stepped aside, allowing Jeremy a chance to properly greet Bonnie.

"Hi Bonnie. I'm glad you're home," he greeted nervously.

"Hey Jeremy. It's good to be back," she replied tentatively.

Jeremy smiled at her before giving her a hug. Bonnie stood in place whilst he held her in a warm embrace. She looked blankly ahead at the wall before deciding to return Jeremy's sweet gesture.

Jeremy flaunting his new girlfriend in front of Bonnie and not knowing if she still wanted him or not made Bonnie see Jeremy in a new light. She even wondered if he ever really loved her at all.

Jeremy finally pulled away from their embrace. Their eyes instantly locked. Bonnie's gaze was serious and penetrating. It was as if she were trying to burn a hole into his soul. Jeremy's gaze was anxious and guilty. His eyes fitfully looked everyone but square into hers.

Elena watched Jeremy's and Bonnie's exchange with a frustrated expression all the while.

"So, you're having a baby?" Jeremy softly asked.

"Yes," Bonnie answered, then pressed her lips together and nervously waited for Jeremy's next question, but to her dismay, Elena interjected.

"Bonnie, may I have a word with you. In private."

"Sure." Bonnie answered seriously. She looked at Elena for moment, then walked to the study. Elena entered next and closed the door behind her.

"Why Bonnie?" Elena asked sternly.

"Because I love him."

Elena flashed her a mocking smile as she tapped her feet against the floor and angrily folded her arms.

"How could you possibly love him after all he has done to you? You two weren't even together long enough to be in love."

"I'm guessing the same way you fell in love with him after all he did to you."

"It's not the same Bonnie. Damon did horrible things, yes, but he did them because he loved me, but everything he did to you was to protect me. If he had to choose between you and me, he would choose me, every time." Elena sternly protested as she closed the distance between her and Bonnie.

"Yes, we had a rough beginning, but we were nothing but real with each other, and that hasn't changed. Nothing you can say to me now or ever will convince me to walk away from Damon. I won't let you come between us."

"Hey, what's going on in here?" Caroline burst through the study door with Matt, Jeremy, Tyler, and Melissa on her heels.

"We're discussing why my best friend slept with the man I love behind my back," Elena answered furiously.

"Bonnie I don't understand. How could you want someone like Damon?" Jeremy questioned unbelievably.

"Because unlike you, he understands me," Bonnie answered nastily.

"The guy is the reason your grandmother died Bonnie," Matt said dubiously.

"I know what happened Matt. I don't need you to recite me a list of Damon's rights and wrongs."

"Maybe you need to be reminded of Damon's rights and wrongs Bonnie. He's a creep. He used me as a blood bag, and mentally and physically abused me. How could you be with someone that would do that to me?" Caroline found her voice.

"Not to mention, he tried to kill Caroline and me," Tyler added.

Bonnie pressed her lips tightly together in frustration. She very much wanted to defend the man that she loved, but not once on Gardenia did they have a conversation about every horrible thing Damon had done to her and all her friends. They discussed his wrong doings towards Stefan and Elena on many occasions, but not the things he had done to everyone else.

"…and did you forget about the fact that he killed me, Bonnie?" Jeremy interrogated. "Bonnie, the guy is the reason why Liz accidently killed me. He's the reason I can't have a peaceful nights rest because I can't stop seeing dead people?"

"Okay! I get it!" Bonnie screamed as tears filled her eyes. "…and you should feel grateful that you can see dead people Jeremy. Your little curse is the reason why I'm standing here alive today or does that not even matter to you?"

( ~ )

As things escalated at the boarding house, Damon and Stefan finished loading the truck with the baby's things.

"Let's grab a beer at The Grill?" Stefan asked.

"No, I better get back home to Bonnie." A worried expression covered Damon's face.

"Bonnie's fine Damon. She's taking a nap, and I'm sure if something goes wrong, Lucy will let us know. Come on."

Damon's jaw clicked. He had a weird feeling in his gut. Something didn't feel right. He couldn't help but think about his conversation with Elena from the night before. He and Bonnie had been gone all day and Elena had called him twice and had texted him three times while they were out. He had this strange feeling that Elena would show up unannounced at the boarding house, and he didn't want Bonnie to face her alone.

"Maybe some other time Stefan. I need to be with Bonnie. You know, just in case the wicked witch of the west stops by."

"Damon, if Bonnie were in trouble or needed some help, I'm sure she'd call you or contact you via a spell or something," Stefan teased.

"No, I need to be with her."

"Damon, I am your brother. I want one drink. Is that too much to ask?" he paused. "…and plus you owe me. Especially after that little stunt you pulled."

Damon looked over at Stefan, who glanced over at him. Damon immediately began to feel guilty about what he had done to Stefan. He had worked so hard to make it up to Bonnie that he had completely forgotten about making amends with his brother. He truly thought they were square since Stefan vented to him the afternoon before.

"Fine. We'll get one damn beer and that's it."

"Okay, cool," Stefan agreed.

( ~ )

"Do you really get it Bonnie, because I'm not sure you do? Damon is only with you because you're pregnant with his child, and he thought he'd never see me again. Is this what you want? To be with a guy who settled for you? You deserve so much more Bonnie," Elena explained with conviction.

Whilst Elena spewed her vile words, Bonnie began to feel a searing pain within her abdomen and her little girl erratically moved inside of her. She grabbed her belly and winced in pain, but no one noticed but Tyler. Everyone else was too wrapped up in their own woes.

"Elena's right Bonnie. Damon is an ass. He'd sacrifice all of us for Elena. He'd probably even sacrifice you and the baby," Matt said surely.

Tyler angrily folded his arms and rolled his eyes at Matt's incongruous statement. _Why do I feel so angry? _Tyler questioned in thought.

"That is not true! He loves me!" Bonnie yelled out emotionally as tears fell from her eyes.

Bonnie didn't remember a time where she felt so emotional, but these were her friends, all coming down on her at once. She couldn't find any fault with their logic, and she hated it. Out of everyone in the room, including Elena, she believed in Damon. She had hope for him. All those months in Gardenia had showed her the real Damon, and to her, her friends arguments were invalid, but their words hurt her all the same.

"I'm sure he loved you when you were wherever you were, but you're home now, Bonnie. How long do you think his love is going to last?" Jeremy questioned.

"It will last a hell of a lot longer than yours! How many girls did you sleep with while I was away Jeremy?! And remember when I was dead? I do. Because I sacrificed my life again for you, and he was the only one who fought tooth and nail to bring me back while the rest of you did nothing!" Bonnie bawled emotionally.

"That's not fair Bonnie and you know it," Jeremy shot back.

"…and what you all are doing to me is?" Bonnie shouted.

"I think you all need to leave!" Melissa finally found her voice. "Come on, Bonnie." She grabbed Bonnie by the arm, but she snatched away.

"How could you be so snowed by Damon Bonnie? You're supposed to be my friend, and you would spread your legs for a guy that took away my agency?!"Caroline asked heatedly.

"Caroline!" Tyler yelled, and she rolled her eyes at him.

"I fought for you, Caroline!" Bonnie shouted back. "…and you yourself forgave him!"

"I only tolerated him for Stefan."

"So you tolerated him for Stefan, but you won't tolerate him for me?" Damon is not the man he was. I know the real him, and he has so much good in him," Bonnie passionately declared. "Uh," she lowly whimpered, then placed her hand on her belly.

As Bonnie cried and became more enraged, so did Tyler, and for the life of him, he couldn't understand why, because he too, didn't want Bonnie being with a creep like Damon. He suddenly felt like wolfing up and attacking everyone, hurting Bonnie.

"Okay, everyone just lay off of her!" Tyler yelled and jumped in front of Bonnie.

'"No! Not until Bonnie admits that sleeping with Damon was wrong. He doesn't love you Bonnie. Do the right thing, and let him go. He killed and turned your mother. Your mother!" Elena squawked heatedly.

"…and he killed Jeremy, right in front of you, Elena! Oh my God!" Caroline huffed incredulously at Elena's remark. "Bonnie, you can do so much better than Damon. Let Elena have him," Caroline shot.

"…and what the hell is that supposed to mean?" Elena questioned gallingly.

"So Elena can be with Damon, but not me?!" Bonnie shouted as she pushed Tyler out of the way.

"You're a better person Bonnie. We hold you to a higher standard," Matt said.

Elena snatched her wide eyed gaze to Matt.

"Sorry," he said, then guiltily lowered his gaze.

"I am done with this conversation, and I am done with all of you!" Bonnie was infuriated with her friends. She briskly marched to the door, trying to escape their interrogation, but Elena quickly followed and so did everyone else.

"You will not walk away from this. You knew how much I loved Damon, and you knew how much he loved me, and you went to wherever the hell you two were and decided to be in a relationship with him, knowing that it was possible for him to come home to me. Friends don't still each other's boyfriend's Bonnie."

"…and girlfriends don't sleep with their boyfriends brother. Now I'm done with this conversation," Bonnie said coldly in a low deep voice, then turned and walked away.

Elena's jaw dropped and she became enraged. Before she knew it, she was fully vamped up and lunging for Bonnie. Elena violently sunk her fangs into Bonnie's neck, but just as she latched on, Tyler wolfed up and Melissa delivered a concentrative wave of pain that rocked Elena's equilibrium.

Elena released Bonnie from her grasp, then fell to her knees only to see Tyler charging her, but Matt came immediately to her rescue and tackled Tyler to the floor.

Tyler wiggled out of Matt's grasp, then mounted him. Just as Tyler was about to take a chunk out of Matt's adorable face, Melissa hit him with a concentrative wave of pain. Tyler was now in human form, grunting loudly on the floor in agony.

Elena shook off the discomfort and tried to get to her feet only to meet Caroline's right hook. "You bitch!" she yelled after hitting Elena so hard that Elena stumbled back into the wall.

"Bonnie!" Jeremy yelled as he slide across the floor on one knee to a passed out and badly injured Bonnie.

"Get the fuck off of her!" Tyler roared and came rushing to Bonnie's aid.

"Bonnie!" Elena yelled. "Oh, God! Oh, God! What have I done?" she questioned in horror after snatching her wide eyed gaze over to Bonnie.

Caroline flashed to Bonnie. She hurried to her knees as she bit into her wrist to give Bonnie her blood, but to her complete surprise, she was rudely pushed aside by Elena who was now feeding Bonnie her blood.

"Bonnie! No, Bonnie! Oh, God! I'm so sorry!" she cried as she took Bonnie into her arms and cradled her to her chest.

"How could you do this to Bonnie?" Caroline cried.

"Damon isn't worth this!" Tyler yelled as he stood fully naked in the living room.

"Mmm," Bonnie lightly moaned as she tried coming to. She finally opened her eyes, only to find Elena kneeling over her.

Bonnie ripped herself away from Elena and scooted quickly across the floor. "Stay away from me!"

"Bonnie, I'm so sorry. I was angry."

"I don't give a fuck what you were. You stay the hell away from me. All of you!" Bonnie yelled as she struggled to her feet.

"Bonnie," Melissa called and hurried to her side. "Let me help you upstairs."

"I'm sorry Bonnie." Caroline declared.

"I don't care, just go." Bonnie began to cry.

"Bonnie, we came on a little too strong, but we love you," Matt added.

"Melissa get me out of here," Bonnie said.

Tyler hurried up the steps. He picked Bonnie up bridal style. She flashed him a glaring look. Their eyes locked.

"I don't want you here Tyler."

"Well, it's too bad, because I can't leave."

"The door is behind you."

"No, really. I can't leave Bonnie. I want to leave so badly to cover myself but I can't even look at the door," Tyler responded fearfully and worriedly as he quickly carried her up the stairs.

"Monkey man?" Bonnie whispered inquisitively with a vacant look in her eyes. She immediately recalled the supernatural link she shared with the creature back on new earth. She never thought in a million years that gift would follow her home.

Elena watched as Tyler carried Bonnie upstairs, a horrified and remorseful look on her face as she held her hands close to her chest.

Elena's eyes darted over to Caroline. She shook her head at Elena, rolled her eyes, and then stormed out of the house. Matt shot Elena a mutual response before leaving as well.

Elena then looked at Jeremy, whose face was unreadable.

"How could you Elena?"

"I was angry."

"It doesn't matter how angry you were Elena. Friends don't try to kill their friends."

"But I saved her!"

"Did you save her because you actually care, or did you do it because of Damon?"

"You're not being fair Jeremy. I love Bonnie."

"Will you love her after the baby is here?"

"But what if it's not Damon's baby? What if he's helping Bonnie out? He wouldn't do this to me." Elena began to cry.

"You need help Elena." Jeremy shook his head in disgust, then left the house.

( ~ )

While Bonnie was brutally fighting it out with her friends, Damon and Stefan reminisced about their childhood and other happy moments in their lives.

They laughed and talked for so long that one beer turned into five beers each.

During their conversation at The Grill, Damon remembered the last time he and Stefan had spent quality time there. It was the night he tried to get Stefan to remember who he was. But on that night, Damon had a terrible secret, the secret of how he had stolen the love of his brother's life, but this time, things were different.

Damon enjoyed quality time with Stefan without feeling guilt or jealousy. This was the relationship he had always wanted with his brother and now he finally had it.

They pulled up in the yard, still loudly laughing and talking. After climbing out of the truck, Stefan went to unload their things but Damon needed to see Bonnie. That nagging feeling he had in his gut before he went to The Grill with Stefan, had come back full force.

"Hey, aren't you going to help me unload the truck?"

"Yeah, I need to check on Bonnie first." Damon flashed inside the house. He swiftly walked to the living room, finding Tyler and Melissa sitting somberly on the couch.

"Hey," he asked with a narrow and curious gaze. "Where's Bonnie?"

Melissa slowly got to her feet. She turned nervously around to Damon, twiddling her fingers fitfully in front of her.

"Damon, there was an incident…"

Melissa didn't even get the opportunity to finish her story. Damon flashed upstairs and burst through the bedroom door, finding Bonnie balled up in the chair crying.

"Bonnie?" he called, then flashed to her. "What happened? Are you okay?" he asked worriedly as he kneeled down in front of her.

Bonnie quickly nodded.

"Is the baby okay?" he asked.

Bonnie quickly nodded through her tears.

"If everything is okay, then why are you crying?" Damon narrowed his eyes peculiarly at her.

"They're not going to let us be happy. They hate me. I'm a terrible friend," she cried.

The sight of a brokenhearted and pregnant Bonnie did not sit or feel right to Damon. He glared. He was ready to do battle.

"What the fuck happened?"

"Nothing," Bonnie cried through the words.

"Something happened Bonnie, or else you wouldn't be sitting up here, all by yourself, crying, so tell me what the hell is going on, now."

Bonnie hurriedly wiped away her tears and tried to compose herself. She knew if she didn't stop crying, Damon would keep prying until he found out the entire ugly truth of what happened. She was completely angry with her friends, but not to the point that she would want harm to come to them.

Bonnie knew if Damon discovered that she and the baby almost died at the hands of Elena, it would start World War III.

If Bonnie knew anything well, it was that Damon loved his unborn child more than he did his own life, and after fighting so hard to save his child's life, and from her, at that, she knew he'd be enraged with everyone involved with the entire ugly mess.

"Bonnie, I love you, and it doesn't matter what anyone says about us. We're meant to be together, and nothing is going to change that."

"But why can't loving you be easy? Why won't they just accept us?" she asked.

"I think loving me is easy," Damon answered brokenheartedly.

Bonnie looked at a childlike Damon. She giggled. She then placed her left hand on his right cheek. "They don't know you Damon," she whispered.

"But you do Bonnie, so shouldn't that be all that matters?"

Bonnie looked at him for an enchantingly long moment, studying his strong face and his clicking jaw.

"I know my opinion is all that matters, but you have to make it right, Damon. You have to make it right with Caroline, Jeremy, Matt, and even with Elena. They're my friends."

Bonne and Damon stared at each other for what seemed like forever. Apologizing wasn't one of Damon's strong suits. If he was mean to you, he meant it. If he suddenly start being nice to you it meant that you were no longer on his very long list of people he didn't associate with.

Damon looked down at the floor and exhaled. "Okay, I'll make it right with them if it means that much to you," he answered seriously a stoic look on his face.

"It does," Bonnie answered, her eyes sad and watery.

"We'll do it your way." Damon flashed her an annoyed look and fake grinned. Bonnie shook her head and lightly chuckled at his response.

"Hey," Melissa called as she entered the room.

Damon's and Bonnie's eyes darted to the entrance where she stood.

"I see you're feeling better?" Melissa asked as she closed the distance between them with her light and carefree steps.

"Yes, I feel much better. Thanks for asking," Bonnie replied.

"Phew, good, because after Elena took that big chunk out of you, I thought you and the baby were goners."

"Fuck me," Bonnie whispered as she pushed her forehead into her hands.

Damon rushed to his feet. "What the fuck are you talking about?" he asked in a bewildered tone, his gaze narrowed.

"Everyone came by after you left. They grilled Bonnie really hard about being with you; especially Caroline and Elena. Elena got so upset that she attacked Bonnie. She would have died if Elena hadn't given her blood," Melissa explained casually.

"MELISSA!" Bonnie yelled.

Damon turned his gaze so slowly to Bonnie that she thought Lucy had stopped time. He flashed Bonnie a terrifying, sadistically cold look that struck fear in her quickly beating heart.

"Shit," Bonnie whispered, her breath shallow.

"Oh, doorbell. I'll get it. Bye," Melissa said happily, then sashayed out of the room. She was completely oblivious to the terrible that she had inadvertently instigated.


	19. Chapter 19: Feel My Wrath

**A/N:** ************ALERT: PLEASE READ. PLEASE READ.** **********

Sorry for the long wait. I will try to update the next chapter in a much timelier manner.

I read some of your concerns. A few of you think Bonnie is weak, and some of you want Elena to die, and you want Damon to kill her. (I laughed out loud on that one.) I know how you feel. ;D

Any who, I'm sorry that some of you think that Bonnie is weak, but with this story, with all of my stories, I want to explore a multifaceted Bonnie, and I make decisions based on things that I've seen Bonnie do on the show. While I don't agree with the way the writers write for Bonnie (I try) to stay true to the character (the way I perceive things to be). I feel that Bonnie can by selfless to a fault. I mean she's dangerously selfless in my opinion. Sometimes I think Bonnie is stupid as fuck for her friends.

So, what I want to do is create situations and then write how I believe she would handle them. I allow her to be a problematic character (human) as we all are, but I assure you all, I will do right by her, and I will be consistent with Damon's progression. No back sliding here. He will be strong, but he will also be more rational and think about his choices while still making some mistakes along the way… LOL!

I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Some plots may be similar to the show in this chapter and part of the next. This is my way of attempting to fix them… LOL!

**Oblivion Chapter 19: Feel My Wrath**

_**FIVE MINUTES EARLIER**_

Bonne and Damon stared at each other for what seemed like forever. Apologizing wasn't one of Damon's strong suits. If he was mean to you, he meant it. If he suddenly start being nice to you it meant that you were no longer on his very long list of people he didn't associate with.

Damon looked down at the floor and exhaled. "Okay, I'll make it right with them if it means that much to you," he answered seriously a stoic look on his face.

"It does," Bonnie answered, her eyes sad and watery.

"We'll do it your way." Damon flashed her an annoyed look and fake grinned. Bonnie shook her head and lightly chuckled at his response.

"Hey," Melissa called as she entered the room.

Damon's and Bonnie's eyes darted to the entrance where she stood.

"I see you're feeling better?" Melissa asked as she closed the distance between them with her light and carefree steps.

"Yes, I feel much better. Thanks for asking," Bonnie replied.

"Phew, good, because after Elena took that big chunk out of you, I thought you and the baby were goners."

"Fuck me," Bonnie whispered as she pushed her forehead into her hands.

Damon rushed to his feet. "What the fuck are you talking about?" he asked in a bewildered tone, his gaze narrowed.

"Everyone came by after you left. They grilled Bonnie really hard about being with you; especially Caroline and Elena. Elena got so upset that she attacked Bonnie. She would have died if Elena hadn't given her blood," Melissa explained casually.

"MELISSA!" Bonnie yelled.

Damon turned his gaze so slowly to Bonnie that she thought Lucy had stopped time. He flashed Bonnie a terrifying, sadistically cold look that struck fear in her quickly beating heart.

"Shit," Bonnie whispered, her breath shallow.

"Oh, doorbell. I'll get it. Bye," Melissa said happily, then sashayed out of the room. She was completely oblivious to the terrible that she had inadvertently instigated.

_**FIVE MINUTES LATER **_

"What…is she talking about?" Damon was so enraged by what Melissa had told him that his words got stuck in his throat. He could feel his mind leave his body and everything in the room went blurry.

Bonnie slowly rose to her feet. She keenly observed the abundant clicking in Damon's chiseled jawline. An explanation of what happened couldn't form quickly enough in Bonnie's mind. She questioned why she was so protective of her friends. The answer was quite clear, she loved them, and no amount of betrayal or them abandoning her would make her stop caring about them or their well-being.

She was Bonnie Bennett, not Elena, Caroline or any of her friends. Bonnie was strong, compassionate, loyal, and a beacon of hope to her friends and to Damon alike.

Bonnie wasn't a messy individual that went around initiating trouble. She most certainly wasn't the person that ran to her husband tattle telling on her friends or anyone else that didn't do right by her.

She wasn't a damsel in distress either. Bonnie undoubtedly wasn't going to put Damon in the line of fire or in harm's way by having him battle it out with Elena, Jeremy, and possibly Alaric.

It took everything in Bonnie not to act out on the rage she felt after Elena wrongfully attacked her.

Bonnie was wise beyond her years. She knew that her angry reaction would only make the entire situation much more calamitous.

But alas, the universe was busy and not on her side. The cosmos wanted chaos and Melissa was its little birdy and Damon was its perfect puppet.

"What happened Bonnie?" Damon snapped, again, in a hateful angry voice, reminding Bonnie of the old Damon Salvatore.

Bonnie wrinkled her brow and pressed her lips angrily together. She did not like Damon's tone.

Damon softened his look after realizing he had upset Bonnie.

"Elena lost her cool, but she felt awful about what she did. The baby and I are okay. Everything is fine." Bonnie gently explained as she closed the distance between them, invading Damon's personal space.

Damon folded his arms over his front, a flaccid look on his face, but inside he was still raging. He began to imagine what happened between Bonnie and Elena.

_**"After Elena took that big chunk out of you, I thought you and the baby were goners."**_

Melissa's words echoed in his mind and he became angrier. His thoughts then traveled back to the night when Emily had possession of Bonnie's body. He cringed when he thought about how he had tried to rip Bonnie's head off.

Damon suddenly wasn't in Kansas anymore. His mind was in the fiery depths of hell. It was running rampant with how he fought with Bonnie about the baby back in Gardenia, and how he had savagely attacked her a few years back over Katherine, a woman who didn't even want him.

The moment he attacked Bonnie on that unfortunate night, he knew that he never wanted her to experience that kind of pain again. No matter how much he despised Bonnie Bennett back then, he made Emily a promise to take care of her lineage and he wanted to uphold that promise.

Damon shuffled on his feet and impatiently rubbed his forehead trying to purge his mind of all the melancholic thoughts that were swimming through his head.

He sighed and flashed Bonnie a concerned look. "Elena is a vampire Bonnie. She's twice as strong as you. She attacked you, a pregnant woman. She could have killed you and the baby." Damon tried to appeal to the part of Bonnie that took no prisoners as he quickly closed the gap between them and animatedly moved his hands all about in protest.

"Caroline, Matt and Tyler wouldn't have let that happen. Dying is not in the cards for us," she answered confidently.

Damon widened his eyes in frustration. "Unbelievable! You're protecting her! The woman that tried to kill you!" he yelled and backed away from Bonnie.

"…and you want to kill her?! Elena still loves you Damon."

Damon went from miffed to dumbfounded straightaway. "I'm not going to kill her. I just want to talk to her and rip out her fangs," he calmly explained as he sat down on the bed and flashed Bonnie a timid smile.

Bonnie eased her way back into Damon's personal space as she sat down on the bed beside him, so close that she was practically in his lap. She took his hand into hers and clutched it tightly. Damon looked out into the room, avoiding Bonnie as she gazed at his strong jaw, sharp nose and his long raven lashes that didn't blink, not even once as she absorbedly looked at him.

Damon had already made up in his mind what he wanted to do and say to Elena, and it wasn't for the faint of heart.

Bonnie and the baby was his family now. It was his duty to protect them, anyway possible.

"I agree. We do need to have a long talk with Elena, but not while you're upset."

"Something tells me the only language that Elena will understand is anger and violence. I tried telling her while you were asleep yesterday how much you and the baby meant to me, but she didn't seem to get it," he explained in a gravelly voice as he looked contemplating down at the mahogany wood flooring.

Bonnie let out a low chortle. "Elena is definitely not my favorite person right now. She hasn't been my favorite person in a long time. In fact…" she rambled on and on and Damon's mind drifted off into a dark place, once again.

"Everything's going to be okay Damon. Damon. Damon," Bonnie called over and over again to him fifteen minutes later.

"Huh?" he looked at her, an unsettled look in his eyes.

"I said we're going to be okay. Our relationship is new. Everyone is in a state of shock at seeing us together, and with a baby at that, so give it some time. Everything will get back to normal. You'll see," she explained sweetly a slight gleam in her eyes.

"Yeah, I guess," Damon answered, his voice huskier than normal. He got up from the bed, freeing himself from Bonnie's loving grasp. He walked to the window. He stared out at the scenery through his out of focus eyes, drooping lids with his hands resting stiffly on his hips.

Bonnie soon realized that her comforting words weren't enough for Damon in this moment. She couldn't soothe the wild beast raging within him.

"I think I heard Lucy downstairs. I'll give you some time alone," Bonnie announced in a soft spoken voice. Damon didn't answer.

Bonnie stretched her short frame up to Damon's. She slightly puckered her lips and closed her eyes. Damon looked at her with an unreadable face as she leaned into him. He closed his eyes, puckering his lips and prepared himself for her warm lips to touch his.

No matter what place Damon Salvatore was in, he was always ready to receive Bonnie's kisses, nuzzles, and comforting embrace. He stood frozen, his hands on his hips, eager for her kiss. Bonnie fisted the tail of his shirt, anchoring herself as her mouth finally made contact with his mauve, perfect, pouty lips. The kiss was ever so sweet and moist.

Bonnie let her lips linger against his longer than she expected to. She pulled away from the kiss, bit by bit as she lowered herself to the heel and the ball of her feet. She lifted her eyelids. Her emerald glistening eyes met a sea of silvery blue ones. Damon's face was like steal, but his eyes gleamed for her, and that gave Bonnie some comfort.

"I'll come back and check on you when dinner is ready," she said, breaking their intimate moment.

They stared at each for a second. Bonnie then slowly left the room, shutting the door behind her. She held tightly to the doorknob. Knowing that she couldn't reach Damon emotionally made her feel empty inside. Bonnie felt she let him down, her mate –the one that completed her.

( ~ )

"Matt." Elena gasp in a raspy voice at seeing her friend on her door steps.

She was in shock to see that anyone wanted to see her after the awful stunt she pulled with Bonnie. Elena knew very well what she had done to her friend was terribly wrong. Though she recognized her actions were unforgivable, she still believed that Damon loved her and the thing that he had with Bonnie was just a phase that would soon play out in time.

"What the hell is wrong with you Elena?" Matt announced in a tight voice with his wrinkled nose and raised upper lip.

Elena rolled her eyes at him. She turned her back on Matt and walked nonchalantly to the living room and plopped down on the couch.

"I asked you a question Elena. What the hell is wrong with you? How could you attack Bonnie? Your friend who is pregnant by the man you claim to love."

"I know what I did Matt. I don't need you reading me my rights, and how do we know that her child is even Damon's. He loves me. Several months away from the love of your life doesn't erase the feelings you have for them." Elena didn't really believe that Bonnie's child wasn't Damon's, but she kept telling herself that in hopes that it would make it real.

"Have you always been such a self-righteous narcissistic bitch?" Matt folded his arms over his chest and glared down at Elena.

Elena flashed to her feet and shot Matt dagger eyes.

"I don't expect for you to know what true love is Matt. The minute Caroline was forced into being a vampire you turned your back on her. You were a total ass to her. She loved you." Elena didn't hold back on the punches. She was determined to make Matt feel just as lousy as her.

Matt's glowering look was soon replaced with a remorseful and somber appearance.

"You're right. I was an asshole to Caroline, but you're being an asshole to all of us," he shot back.

Elena frowned up at him.

"The old you would have accepted that Damon moved on. I don't even understand how you stayed with him for so long. Human you would have never wanted to be with a guy like Damon, with someone who makes you feel miserable at every turn. I don't know you anymore Elena. You're nothing more than a reflection of Damon. No, you're worse," he paused.

"Maybe Damon moving on is a blessing in disguise. Why don't you take this time to heal, get to know who are you –again."

"It's never a blessing to be without the one you love," Elena said in a brittle voice as she walked towards a vase sitting on a light oak accented table in the corner of the living room. She grabbed the vase and pulled out a red fabric pouch and stared dazedly down at it.

"What is that Elena?" Matt narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the small bag.

"It's what kept me going when Damon was away. Every night I got to see him, hold him, make love to him before I went to sleep." She looked out into the room, a hypnotic look in her eyes and a timid smile on her face.

"Jesus Elena. Is that some type of voodoo, dark magic?" he paused and flashed her a disgusted look. "Do you not see what being with Damon has drove you to do? You're taking mind-altering drugs to see a guy who doesn't even want you."

"Damon does want me!" she screamed.

Elena looked coldly at Matt through glassed over eyes. Her fangs quickly extended and black veins swam madly across her face.

Matt took a few steps back. After seeing what she had done to Bonnie, he was all but certain that she would do the same thing to him.

"Elena, calm down," he said in a modulated voice as he gestured to her with his hand.

"What gives you the right to judge me? None of you were there for me after Damon died. All I had was this." She flung the pouch roughly at Matt. It hit him in the chest and fell to the floor.

Matt looked down at the pouch, then put his eyes quickly back on Elena.

"I tried to be there for you Elena, but you pushed me away."

"Because I needed Damon!" she yelled.

Matt lowly chuckled at her absurd comment. "So, I'm guessing you'd rather I was Damon?" he looked at her with disappointed, glistening eyes. Matt was used to seeing Elena be with and in love with other guys, but in this moment, he really hoped that she wanted his company, that he could be the one there for her.

Elena flashed him a guilty look and looked agitatedly down at her fidgeting hands. "I'm sorry Matt. I just can't live without him."

"Okay Elena."

They looked at each other, not saying a word.

"I'm going to head out. There's no sense in me being where I'm not wanted."

"You can't be upset with me because I'd rather Damon be here than you," Elena replied insincerely, her face unreadable.

Matt let out a short laugh and shook his head at Elena's absurd and insensitive comment.

"Bye Elena." He walked swiftly to the door and swung it open.

Elena zoomed over to him, invading his personal space. "Please stay. I need to feed and we can catch up on old times," she pleaded.

"You mean talk about Damon?"

Elena flashed him a shamefaced look and Matt stared at her with a penetrative gaze.

"Right." Matt turned his back on Elena and gently pulled the door forward. For the first time –ever, he refused to be Elena's puppet.

Elena rushed to the closing door. She placed her hand and forehead against the entrance and closed her eyes.

Elena wanted to take her brain out of her body and vanquish it. Her thoughts raced and her heart fell to the pit of her stomach. She felt like two different people. A part of her wanted to run to Matt and wrap her arms around him. The other part of her desperately needed Damon.

She had to have him, by hook or crook. That part of her that wanted Damon was the more dominant voice inside of her. Its craving for Damon was all consuming and insatiable.

The only thing that would make her feel better was the herbs in the little red pouch lying on her floor that now looked larger than life against the mahogany wood. The small sack summoned to her loudly and fervently.

She tried doing without the potion whilst she helped Stefan through his sickness. After losing him too, the one person that made her want to be alive again, she went back to taking the contents in the sinister red pouch.

Elena hastily got to her knees. She crawled over to the sack which was no easy task as it seemed to get smaller and further away from her the closer she got.

"No. No. No," she frantically chanted as she fought with the straps on the pouch to get it open. She inadvertently ripped open the bag. The white, glimmering, crystal like substance went flying all over the floor.

"Noooo!" she screamed as her eyes welled up with tears. Elena hugged the floor and began licking the substance from off the ground.

She was told to put a teaspoon of the ingredients in a hot beverage and leisurely consume it, but there was no time. She needed to feel good and better about herself and now. Elena consumed three days worth of the enchanted dust in one take.

She collapsed against the wall and linked her hands together between her widely spread legs. She looked down at the floor with a dazed look in her glassed over eyes as the magic began to work in her body. Her skin began to tingle and her blood began to heat. She absentmindedly wiped some of the white powder from her round pudgy nose.

After five minutes of her blood heating and her skin tingling, Elena slowly stood. She felt as light as a feather. She looked around the sun lit room that suddenly seemed brighter like a pure white light cascading down from heavens. The dripping faucet suddenly seemed louder as well as the ticking of the clock on the wall and the TV playing in the entertainment unit.

Elena began to hum and twirl around in a circle, and suddenly, Damon materialized from out of nowhere.

"You miss me?" he asked in a smoky, low voice, wearing a smoldering look on his face.

"I missed you like crazy. How could you leave me?" she asked somberly as her eyes drooped and her body went limp. A tear fell from her left eye. She walked over to Damon, taking one small footstep at a time.

"Dance with me," he said.

Elena reached her hand out to an ethereal Damon. She wrapped her hand around his. She began to twirl around the room with the ghostly figure in her arms. Her lips formed into a cheesy life size grin as she tightly closed her lids.

Elena finally found peace by way of her little red velvet bag.

( ~ )

Damon tossed and turned in bed. His eyes were fixated on the turquoise chandelier that hung from the ceiling. He looked at it partly because he really liked how it brightened up their room. He would never admit it to his brother, but he was madly in love with the new look of his and Bonnie's bedroom.

But mostly Damon looked at the turquoise chandelier in deep thought on what he was going to do about Elena.

He didn't know Elena the way Stefan did, but Damon did pick up on the very important fact that she was a lot like him. Now that Elena was a vampire, she was quite attuned with her darkness. Her obscurity made her inherently injudicious.

Knowing what Damon knew about Elena, he discerned that she wasn't going to give up on him. She was going to keep hanging around like a stray dog that he had made the mistake of feeding and now it wouldn't go away.

He couldn't believe that the great love he once felt for Elena was now complete, adulterated annoyance, and partly hatred for ever being with a woman that was never meant to be his. She was essentially meant for his brother. He regretted that it took him so long to figure that out.

Damon slowly set up in bed. He had another one of his great ideas. The kind of notion that didn't mean any good for anyone involved.

He came up with the bright idea of going over and talking to Elena alone. He didn't want Bonnie to come with him. He couldn't risk another incident like the one she had earlier with Elena. Although Bonnie's safety was the driving force within him, wanting her to stay behind, there was a darker thought inside of him as well.

He had this great fear that he would have to end up compelling Elena to leave for good, or even worse, he'd have to kill her if she so much as hinted at hurting Bonnie and his unborn child again.

Damon didn't want things to come to that. He really needed Elena to be okay with him not wanting to be with her anymore.

Damon looked back at Bonnie. She was sound asleep. The bedspread covered her legs only. He smiled at the sound of her light snoring and his baby's heartbeat. He went all night not hearing his little girl's heartbeat the evening before, and here he was about to go traipsing off into the middle of the nighttime to do God knows what, abandoning his unborn child and wife.

He leaned into Bonnie and gently trialed his fingers over her warm, soft skin. He then kissed her on the cheek. After gazing affectionately down on her for several minutes, he decided to take care of business.

He flashed to his dark, stone washed jeans and the t-shirt that he had on earlier that day. After dressing, he flashed downstairs to none other than Stefan and Lucy, talking on the sofa with a nightcap in hand.

_Damn it._ He mouthed. Damon balled up his fist, narrowed his eyes, and raised his upper lip in displeasure.

"Damon?" Stefan squinted his eyes suspiciously at his brother. "Where you going?"

"Uh, uh, nowhere." Damon couldn't think of a lie.

"Hey Damon. Come have a drink with us." Tyler's head popped from out of nowhere.

"What the hell are you doing over here?" Damon frowned.

"Uh, uh, it's complicated," Tyler answered with a somber look on his face.

"Bonnie put some type of enchantment on him?" Melissa added.

"What?" Damon asked with a furrowed brow.

"Tyler feels he needs to stay close to Bonnie," Melissa answered.

"Monkey man?" Damon whispered with a squinted gaze.

"Who is monkey man? Bonnie whispered the same thing when I explained to her how I was feeling earlier." Tyler cocked his brow skeptically at Damon's remark.

"Monkey man was this huge ape like creature back on Gardenia that stayed close to Bonnie. He protected her. He saved our lives." Stefan explained and then smiled in thought.

"Yeah, he was a great pet, friend." Damon smiled in remembrance, almost forgetting what he had set out to do.

"Don't think this conversation lets you off the hook. Where are you off to?" Stefan questioned, again.

"Well if you must know nosey pants, I'm going to feed."

"Feed?" Stefan let out a loud chortle. "We have a freezer full of blood bags complimentary of Enzo and you want to feed on animal blood?"

_Fuck,_ Damon cursed himself in thought.

"I promised Bonnie that I would try to feed on animals." He lied.

"He's lying. He's going to set that little Ms. Elena Gilbert straight," Melissa chimed in and then sniggered.

"You have a big mouth Melissa. Tomorrow you can find a new place to live." Damon glowered at her.

"What the hell is she talking about?" Lucy finally found her voice.

"Well, I wasn't going to tell you…." Melissa was cut off.

"Will you shut the fuck up!" Damon yelled.

"Don't tell her to shut up!" Tyler growled.

"Oh my fucking God! Can a guy get some peace around here!" Damon screamed which caused his neck muscles to stretch. His nostrils flared. He flexed his muscles and balled up his fist enraged with his house guest.

"Anyway," Melissa continued and rolled her eyes at Damon.

Damon saw nothing but red as Melissa went through the entire spill about what happened –again. Lucy and Stefan jumped to their feet and glared at Tyler.

"You've been sitting down here joking and laughing with me this entire time and you didn't tell me what happened!" Lucy screamed at Tyler.

"I know. I'm sorry. I knew that you would be angry, and since Bonnie and the baby are okay, I didn't feel the need to tell you," he explained uneasily as he shifted from side to side on his feet.

"Oh my God. Is Bonnie okay?" Stefan asked worriedly.

"She's fine, and I don't want to wake her. I just want to go over and have a little talk with Elena."

"I don't think that's a good idea Damon," Stefan said.

"Why? You're afraid I'll kill your little girlfriend?" Damon rudely shot back.

"Well that was a little uncalled for," Lucy said as she frowned up at Damon.

Stefan shook his head and let out a low chortle at his brother's absurd comment.

Damon grabbed his forehead and massaged it. He exhaled and then flashed his brother a remorseful expression. "I'm sorry Stefan. I don't know why I said that."

"It's okay Damon. You're upset. I get it, but are you sure you need to see Elena tonight?"

"Yes. I need to talk to her –alone. I know I can get through to her," Damon expressed passionately.

"But what if she gets angry like she did today? Things could get out of hand. Do you want me to go with you?" Stefan suggested.

Damon looked at his brother for a minute and then smiled. "I'd like that."

"Alright. I guess we're going to Elena's." Stefan looked at Lucy and smiled.

Stefan gave Lucy a peck on the cheek and then walked towards the front entrance in perfect stride with his brother.

"Hey, do you a want me to tag along? You may need a witch!" Melissa shouted.

Damon and Stefan turned around and looked at Melissa, then at each other, and then back at her.

"NO!" they shouted in unison.

"Ugh! That was rude!" Melissa pouted as she folded her arms and poked out her bottom lip.

Damon and Stefan burst into a fit of laughter and ran out of the house.

( ~ )

Just like with any other drug, when you came down off your high, you felt awful and that same old pain you felt before you filled your body with poisons was back in full force.

Elena laid on the couch, feeling like death and a plethora of emotions churned inside of her. She was angry with the world because she lost Damon and because her best friend betrayed her. She was sad because of how poorly she reacted to the news. She was miserable because she was lonely. She was confused because she was no longer the woman she used to be and she couldn't fathom why.

She was always told that being a vampire would heighten your senses and magnify your personality. Elena believed that she was a compassionate, understanding and selfless individual, but since being a vampire she was everything that she had hated and fought against being.

As soon as a sensible thought entered Elena's mind, making her think about her choices and the woman that she had become, there was this booming voice in her head and heart that rationalized who she was now. Elena would smile every time she heard that voice. She would then recall Damon's words.

"…_**and you know what makes me able to drink my fill, and leave someone breathing, and not rip their head off like my brother, because I can revel in it. I can make it fun?"**_ his words echoed in her mind.

Elena got up from off the couch and smirked. She stretched her lean body as her confidence came drifting back into her awareness. She sashayed over to the large window in the living room, her knees slightly brushed against each other as she walked across the floor like she was taking a stroll through jello.

She opened the window with her soft, large hands and looked happily out into the night. She was conceited and self-assured as she stood in the window, her arms folded, a knee pushed out, tapping her feet against the hardwood flooring. Some might say that she was a sad copy of Katherine.

Elena widened her eyes in amazement at seeing Damon's car pull up in front of the house not minutes later after regaining her composure. That confident look and feeling she felt seconds ago was replaced with wonderment and contentment.

Damon turned off the ignition and pulled out his keys. He stared out the window wondering if he had made the right decision to speak with Elena alone.

"Have you changed your mind?" Stefan asked.

Damon continued to look out the window with a contemplative expression. As much as he wanted his brother to come inside with him, he knew he had to face Elena –alone. He felt that once she saw Stefan, she would know exactly why he was there and she would turn them both away.

"I think it's best if I go in alone."

"Are you sure?" Stefan asked.

"Yeah." Damon looked seriously at his brother.

Stefan stared at Damon for several seconds before finally deciding to agree to his brother's decision.

"Okay. If you need me, I'll be here."

Damon flashed Stefan a timid smile and firmly clutched his shoulder. "Wish me luck." He smirked and then hopped out of the car.

Stefan watched as Damon slowly wandered up the walkway to Elena's front door. He could tell that his brother was regretting what he had to do by the way he dragged his feet across the concrete and how he slumped his shoulders as he walked.

"This is a mistake," Stefan whispered as he turned a worried gaze to the scenery ahead.

( ~ )

Bonnie began to wake from her deep slumber as the baby moved wildly about in her womb and caused her muscles to violently twist and turn. She tossed and turned and moved madly about the bed as perspiration poured from her brow around her neck and chest. She ripped herself away from the mattress and grabbed her belly.

"Momma's here," she said to her unborn child as she intensely massaged her stomach, trying to rub out the painful throbbing in her abdomen. She winced and slightly moaned as the discomfort seemed to lessen.

After the pain had abated, she looked to Damon's side of the bed and then around the room, noticing that he wasn't there.

Her eyes then darted over to the bathroom, seeing that the light was off. She wrinkled her brow worriedly and wondered where Damon had taking off to.

Bonnie threw the covers from over her legs and slowly climbed out of bed. She stood beside the nightstand wiping the sleep from her eyes and tried to rouse her alertness. She looked at the clock. It read a quarter after ten.

"It's early. You keep me tired don't you little one," she said as she looked down at her plump belly, gently massaging it.

Bonnie's eyes zipped over to the window, seeing the outside light bleeding through the sheer turquoise drapes. She smiled at how beautiful the moonlight looked bleeding through them.

Bonnie put on her house coat and slipped into her slippers and decided to go downstairs. She figured Damon was in the living room having a night cap with his brother.

Bonnie walked lazily down the steps, rubbing her belly as she went. She could hear laughing and the stereo blaring. She smiled at the sound of happiness that filled the house. She gradually descended the stairs and strolled to the living area. She squinted her eyes when she saw that Damon wasn't there.

"Hey Bonnie. What are you doing up?" Lucy asked.

"I couldn't sleep. Where is Damon?"

Lucy, Tyler and Melissa looked at each other with concerned facial expressions.

"He and Stefan went to talk to Elena," Lucy answered uneasily.

"What!" Bonnie gasp in horror.

"Hey, don't worry. I'm sure everything will be fine." Lucy tried to reassure her.

A horrible feeling came over Bonnie. Her spirit called to her in warning and the more it called to her the more agitated Tyler became. He jumped to his feet and began running a hand roughly through his hair as beads of sweat began to form on his brow. Melissa curiously observed him.

"Everything is not okay Lucy. Damon was pretty upset when he learned what Elena did to me." Bonnie scowled at Melissa and she looked guiltily down at the table. "He should have waited for things to settle. This could end badly." Bonnie warned.

"I'm going over there," she announced.

"No, you're not. Damon and Stefan are big boys. They can handle themselves against Elena," Lucy said sternly as she got to her feet and strongly folded her arms over her front.

Before anyone could say another word, Tyler started marching down the foyer to the front door. Everyone looked at him suspiciously.

"Tyler, where are you going?!" Melissa shouted.

"I have to protect Damon," he said robotically.

"Tyler! Come back here!" Bonnie yelled.

Tyler spun nippily around to Bonnie, a severe look in his eyes. "I can't. You won't let me," he answered angrily.

Bonnie's shoulders dropped and a contrite look covered her face. She couldn't understand how and when her magic had changed. She realized things might have been different back in Gardenia, new earth, but she was completely perplexed at how that same magic could follow her home.

It then hit her that it wasn't her magic, it was her child, the one madly doing somersaults inside of her. The same pain she felt when her friends came down on her that day was the same pain that had awoken her from her deep sleep not minutes ago.

Bonnie's and Damon's little girl was already using her magic, from the womb, to protect herself and her family.

Bonnie looked down at her belly as she gently caressed it and smiled.

(Back at Elena's)

Elena ran to the door and opened it before Damon could even knock.

"Hey," she greeted windily.

"Can we talk?" Damon looked at her with a powerful, serious gaze.

"Yeah, sure," Elena answered happily.

She stepped aside, allowing Damon entry.

"Elena who is it?" Jeremy asked as he entered the room, looking down at his phone. He finally lifted his gaze to see that it was Damon. He frowned. "What the hell are you doing here?" he asked rudely.

"Don't be rude Jeremy. Damon's our guest."

"He's not my guest."

Damon looked at Jeremy and flashed him a fake smirk and then rolled his eyes at him. "Elena, can we talk –alone?"

"Yeah sure. Jeremy." Elena widened her eyes in frustration at her brother as she jerked her hands out to the side.

"If you need me, and you will, Alaric and I will be in the next room," Jeremy said. He rolled his eyes at Damon and then left the room.

Elena looked back at Damon and then led him to the living room. "So, what is it that you want to talk to me about?" She quickly turned around to him, her messy, dark brown hair arrived a second later. It draped effortlessly over her shoulder as she stood before him wearing a cunning, cheesy grin.

Damon cocked his brow curiously at her. He stared oddly at Elena for several seconds then put some distance between them.

"You almost killed Bonnie and my baby," Damon said through clenched teeth.

"I know, and I'm sorry."

"Sorry isn't good enough for me. You seem to have delusions about you and me, so let me put things in perspective for you Elena. It's over. We're over. Don't come to my house. Don't call me. If you see me on the streets, don't even talk to me, and if you ever lay a hand on Bonnie again –I will kill you," Damon said coldly with his piercing blue eyes staring a hole straight through Elena.

As Stefan sat in the car he began to feel a weird sensation in his gut. His brother never knew how to communicate with Elena. He was growing increasingly worried because of it. Stefan remembered all the times he called Damon to be by Elena's side, and each and every time Damon arrived, he just made the situation worse.

Instead of Damon soothing Elena, he would only upset her more. Stefan definitely couldn't forget one of Damon's best remedies for Elena yet, using his sire bond to get her to turn off her humanity.

Stefan looked at the house worriedly for several seconds. He really wanted to go inside, but he didn't want to intervene in his brother's affairs. Damon said that he could do it alone and he wanted to support his brother's choice.

"How could you say these things to me Damon? You love me. I am the only person you love in this god forsaken town!" she spat.

"No, Elena! You are not the only person I care about in Mystic Falls, or in this world; in the universe, or in the next universe for that matter. You and I were a mistake. One that I regret. I did nothing but ruin your life. You should be happy that I've moved on. You should do the same." Damon tried talking some sense into Elena. He had no idea that she was under the influence of dark magic.

"No! No! I refuse to believe that you don't love me. You love me. You love me." Elena angrily grabbed her hair and shuffled franticly on her feet. She closed her eyes, squeezing out tears as she turned red in the face.

Damon looked worriedly at her. He began to feel like what a bad idea it was coming to her, especially knowing that he was still really enraged by what she had done to Bonnie.

"Look, I'm sorry Elena. I don't mean to be so crass, but after what you did today, you left me no choice."

"No. No, No," Elena began to chant. She ran to the vase in the corner of the room, retrieving more of the enchanted powder. "I can make this better. I can make you love me," she said breathlessly.

"What the hell is that?" Damon squinted his eyes peculiarly at the small velvet sack as Elena frantically tried to open it. He flashed to Elena and snatched the pouch out of her hand.

"Give it to me! Give it to me!" she screamed and jumped up and down trying to take the bag away from Damon.

"No!" he yelled.

Elena glared at Damon. This wasn't the angelic faced Damon that she had shared a beautiful dance with hours ago. She became enraged with the man standing in front of her. The terrible effects of the potion were quickly taking over.

"What the hell is going on in here?" Alaric asked as he rushed in to the room, a concerned look on his face. Jeremy was right behind him.

"I don't know. Ask Elena. I'm out of here," Damon rushed out. He stuck the pouch into his pocket and tried to leave the house before things got too far out of hand.

"Nooo!" Elena screamed. Before everyone knew it, Elena had grabbed a wooden plank from out the sofa table drawer and was gunning for Damon.

Because of all the bad things that had happened in Mystic Falls on a daily, Alaric and Jeremy made sure to keep weapons around the house in case of an emergency.

"Elena no!" Alaric yelled which alerted Damon.

Damon flashed around, stopping Elena dead in her tracks. He grabbed her by the neck and tossed her across the room. She went crashing into the table sitting in the corner, breaking it upon impact.

Elena zoomed to a seated position. She stared at Damon with dagger eyes. Damon looked at her with a worried expression. He didn't remember a time where Elena looked at him with such a cold and distant look in her eyes.

Elena flashed to Damon. She kicked him in his manhood and then kneed him in the face.

Damon dropped to his keens, grabbed his groan, and loudly moaned.

"Stop this! Both of you!" Alaric yelled.

Damon shook off the pain. He flashed to his feet and grabbed Elena by the head. He needed to subdue her and breaking her neck was the only way, but Elena was angry and determined. She grabbed Damon's head too, and head butted him, causing him to stumble back into the wall. Elena picked up the stake and threw it at Damon. It was a direct hit. The dagger was now lodged deep into Damon's stomach.

"Ahhh!" he yelled out in pain and crashed to his knees. Damon ripped the wooden lath out of his gut and stared at Elena with an ominous gaze. His eyes were bloodshot and black veins swam across his face. "It's time to put you out of your misery –bitch," he said coldly.

Stefan heard his brother yell. He jumped out of the car and ran to the door.

Damon flashed to Elena, stake in hand. He pinned her against the wall and tried to plunge the dagger into her neck.

Stefan stepped inside the house just in time to see his brother holding a stake to Elena's throat. He froze. He was paralyzed with fear and shock.

Damon's eyes darted over to Stefan, one of his moral compasses. Through the entire ordeal he kept Bonnie and his child, his moral center in the four corners of his mind. Damon dare not kill Elena.

His goal was still to subdue her, but Jeremy didn't interpret Damon's actions as such. He grabbed the container of vervain, quickly opened it and threw it on Damon. He was now soaked in vervain and crying out in pain.

"Ahhhh!" Damon screamed as he pressed his hands gently to his blistering and bleeding face. He fell to the floor, trying to work through the extreme agony he felt. "Jeremy stop!" Alaric yelled in a reprimanding voice as snatched the weapon out of his hand.

Stefan was still in shock. He watched in slow motion as Elena flashed to a stake, grabbed it, and held it up to Damon, the trajectory –his heart. "Nooo!" Stefan finally found his voice as Elena grunted and began to strike, and no sooner as he found his voice, Tyler came bursting through the house in wolf form, plunging his canines deep into Elena's neck and tackled her to the floor.

"Elena!" Jeremy and Alaric yelled in unison. Alaric grabbed the coat rack and whacked Tyler off of Elena. Tyler yelped in pain as he went flying across the room. He soon transformed back into human form. He looked over at Elena with sadness as he tried to process what he had done.

Elena pressed her hand against the gapping, bloody hole in her neck. Alaric helped her to a seated position. Elena began to come back to her senses.

"You bit me Tyler. You bit me," she said in a strangled voice.

"I'm so sorry Elena. I don't know what came over me," Tyler answered devastatingly.

Damon began to heal. He looked at Tyler. He had never been so happy to see him in all his life. He wanted to say thank you, but considering what had just happened he recognized that it would be a terribly insensitive thing to do.

Against Lucy's warning. Bonnie went to Elena's house anyway, but not without Lucy accompanying her. They pulled up to the house, seeing the front door wide open.

"What the hell," Lucy whispered in a suspicious voice.

Bonnie jumped out of the passenger side, Lucy on her heels. She jogged to the door and inside to the living room. Her eyes widened in horror at the mess around her, at a bloody Elena on the floor, a naked Tyler, and a disoriented Damon, and then at the somber faces of the others.

"Damon, are you okay?" she asked as she kneeled down beside him.

He quickly nodded. Bonnie than put her focus on Elena who was bleeding profusely from her neck. She hurried over to her friend.

"Oh my God, Elena," Bonnie whispered in horror.

"Tyler bit me," Elena replied through her tears. She looked intently at Bonnie, feeling slightly guilty for attacking her. Now that she was in the same circumstance that she had put Bonnie in, she couldn't help but think about what she had done to her.

Elena sweetly touched Bonnie's face with her left hand as Alaric cradled her in his arms. "I'm sorry for attacking you. I don't know what's wrong with me. I don't feel like myself."

"It's okay Elena. I forgive you," Bonnie said as she lifted her left hand and pressed it gently against Elena's, lovingly clutching it.

Elena smiled but quickly lost her pleasant appearance when she saw Bonnie's betrothal bracelet. "What…what is this?" Elena asked fearfully as the words got stuck in her throat. She really didn't want to hear the answer, but she couldn't help but ask as she grabbed Bonnie's wrist. Elena instantly remembered how fondly Damon smiled down at the very same bracelet that he also wore.

"Damon and I got married when we were away," Bonnie answered brokenheartedly. She didn't gloat about her wonderful news. She hated that she had to break it to Elena this way, but her friend needed to know. She had to rip off the band aid.

"You're married?" Elena asked in shock, as her eyes shifted from Bonnie and then to Damon.

Damon held his head high. He wasn't ashamed. He didn't feel regret about being married to the woman that he loved.

Elena had never felt so devastated and brokenhearted in all her life. "No. No. No," she began to cry.

Alaric tried to console her by bringing her closer to him. Elena harshly pushed him away, causing him to crash back against the wall.

"Bonnie," Damon called. He jumped to his feet and grabbed Bonnie by the arms, helping her to her feet and then backed them away from Elena. He didn't want a repeat of what happened previously that day.

Stefan wretchedly, watched Elena as she violently cried on the floor, strongly gripping her gut. He knew how she felt. He too felt the same way when Elena left him for his brother. On that horrible day, he felt like his heart had been ripped from his body and stabbed repeatedly until it was nothing more than mush.

He didn't think he would ever be able to survive Elena leaving him, yet here he was, alive and watching the woman he once loved with a passion of a thousand suns suffer the same despair as him.

"Elena you're going to be okay," Jeremy said as he rushed to his sister's side, trying to console her.

"Get off of me!" Elena yelled and pushed him away just as roughly as she did Alaric.

Jeremy got to his feet and placed his hands on his hip and looked gloomily down at Elena.

Elena buried her face into her hands, still violently crying. Everyone stood around the room watching her with miserable expressions.

Lucy shifted her gaze from Elena to a distraught looking Tyler sitting naked on the floor.

"Tyler, are you okay?" Lucy asked as she grabbed a throw from off the couch and covered him.

"I bit Elena. Why did I do that?" he asked in a cracked voice.

"I know, but you were only doing what you were summoned to do. Don't blame yourself."

Tyler began to cry as he drifted into Lucy. She wrapped her arms around him and held him close.

Damon looked down at Bonnie with a dejected look in his eyes. She flashed him a mutual expression. "I shouldn't have come. I should have listened to you," he murmured.

"We can't worry about that now," Bonnie mumbled.

Whilst everyone in the room were consoling each other and listening to Elena sob, Stefan was transfixed solely on Elena. He really wanted to be there for her, but seeing that she had pushed everyone away, he was afraid to offer Elena his shoulder to cry on.

The longer Stefan stood, watching and listening to her violently weep a different emotion began to consume his fear. It was the very thing that made Stefan different from Damon, his compassion. Stefan began to gravitate towards Elena. He was finally within arm's reach. He kneeled down in front of her and touched her shoulder. Elena jumped. She hurriedly lifted her gaze to see Stefan's glistening, green eyes.

"Elena," he said with tears in his eyes; his lips began to quiver.

Elena crashed into him. Stefan wrapped his strong arms around her and held her caringly in his grasp.

All eyes in the room were now on Stefan and Elena. Damon exhaled a sigh of relief and Bonnie smiled through her tears.

( ~ )

Luna's plans had now changed since Bonnie and Damon decided to leave Gardenia, but her plot to kill Bonnie, and her new design on their child was still her goal. She rode high upon her horse alongside Shing. They traveled to a safe place, out in the woods, just outside of Emerald City to open a wormhole for passage to mother earth.

Luna had foreseen that Shing's power wasn't strong enough to get the portal open for their trip to earth or for their return journey home without him dying in the process. She would use Bonnie's little girl for the voyage back home.

She easily persuaded Shing into bringing other conjurers along to do their dirty work. Luna delicately explained to her leader to save his strength for the new world and to draw his power from the other wizards.

If she told Shing how weak he was compared to Bonnie, it would enrage the great, almighty wizard of Emerald City.

Luna withheld from the other shamans that they would die on this mission. She deceived the necromancers by telling them that there was great fortune on the new world and that they all could share in the wealth.

They finally arrived at the perfect destination to perform the spell.

Luna and Shing stood in the center of the circle and Shing began to chant. He used no power of his own during this attempt. He solely pulled his magic from the other sorcerers. The men and women screamed as they bleed from their orifices. They harshly collapsed to the ground in extreme agony, dying as Shing drained them of their power. He finally got the doorway open. Shing smiled at Luna before they hurried off through the radiant, white light.

They traveled through extreme amounts of cold, heat, darkness, and light. After an hour of traveling through the portal, they finally landed in the middle of a desolate road outside of Mystic Falls.

"Ahhh! Fuck! This wretched little world!" Shing yelled in a shrilling tone after his body hit the pavement at a dangerous velocity. Luna was spit out of the threshold seconds later. She landed right on her side, breaking her shoulder blade upon impact.

Their arrival was not off to a good start.

"Help me! Help me!" she cried in a strident voice.

The two most conceited people in all of the universe combined were the most babyish when it came to pain as they wiggled animatedly on the ground. They whined loudly, each one louder than the other as if they were competing for attention.

"Luna! Luna!" Shing yelled as he finally got some wits about himself. "Are you okay?" He grew fearful. He knew that he could not navigate this new world without Luna.

A bright light came from out of nowhere and was traveling speedily towards them. The driver in the big rig began blowing his horn madly at the people in the street. The motorist put on his breaks, almost jackknifing in the process.

"Are you crazy! Get the hell out of the road!" the driver yelled.

"Peasant! We are in need of medical supplies straightaway! Do your duty!" Shing yelled.

The driver flashed them an incredulously look, doubting if he should help the strange looking couple or not. He finally decided to aid them as Luna's wailing became obnoxiously, annoying. The driver ran over to them. He looked mysteriously at Shing's and Luna's outfits and then put his focus back on Luna.

"Get her in the truck. She needs to go to the emergency room."

Shing picked up Luna bridal style. He ran her to the rig and the driver sped off. Luna put her focus on her apparitions. She couldn't think about her pain now. She had to concentrate on the goal which was to find Bonnie. The vision that appeared to her was of the hospital. Her spirits instinct didn't have a one track mind like Luna. Her body was attuned to the pain it felt, so her spirit searched out help.

Luna was a remarkable creature and most times her gift had a mind of its own. Her cognizance showed her a hospital and one particular doctor who repeatedly feed his blood to sick patients which healed them.

The moment Luna's immediate future was revealed to her, an evil smile crept slowly across her lips. Her injuries weren't going to slow her down.

"I will be victorious," she whispered through a painful voice, then winced in agony. "Uhh," she whined.

"It's okay," Shing said in a deep gruffly voice and Luna burst into a fit of laughter.

( ~ )

Two hours later, they all returned home except for Stefan who stayed with Elena. Everyone sat around the Salvatore living room trying to recoup from the awful events of that evening as they waited for Caroline to arrive. They were hoping that she could call Klaus and ask him for his blood to heal Elena.

Damon sat in the corner of the couch with Bonnie in his arms, sipping on a glass of bourbon. He kissed the side of Bonnie's face and her temple over and over. Bonnie looked dazedly out into the room and at Lucy who was sitting at the corner on the opposite end of the couch. Bonnie would occasionally look at Melissa and Tyler as well, as they sat on the floor being all lovey dovey with each other.

Bonnie wanted to be angry with Damon for talking to Elena against her wishes, but the more she thought about what Damon had done, the more she sympathized with him. If the tables were turned, she'd be highly upset with Elena too.

The doorbell finally rang. Everyone was startled by the loud dingdong. It was as if they weren't expecting anyone to stop by. Melissa jumped to her feet and ran to the door. Caroline and Melissa came rushing back in to the living room, Caroline a disappointed look on her face.

Bonnie and Tyler jumped to their feet and skeptically looked at Caroline.

"What did he say?" Tyler asked after swallowing the lump in his throat.

"He said that he doesn't give two shits about what happens to Elena," Caroline said and then got choked up.

"Figures," Damon said as he slowly rose to his feet.

Bonnie's eyes dimmed as she placed her hand on her pregnant belly. She slowly turned around and plopped back down on the couch. "I can't believe this is happening," she whispered in a wobbly voice.

Damon's shoulders sunk and his eyelids drooped. He couldn't help but feel like everything was all his fault. He sat down beside Bonnie and linked his fingers with hers and tightly squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry again Bonnie. If I had just listened to you none of this would be happening."

Bonnie looked out into the room not saying a word. She finally found her voice a few minutes later.

"It's not your fault Damon. It's our little girl. She's protecting herself. She's protecting us."

Damon creased his brow curiously at her words. Caroline flashed around to Bonnie and Damon, putting her full attention on their conversation.

"But…but how?" Damon asked stunned.

"I don't know. Maybe it has something to do with her being conceived on new earth, but I'm sure that it is her."

Damon couldn't help but smile and gloat about his magical little girl.

"Damon," Bonnie said in warning and then smiled.

"What? Our baby is a goddess." He flashed Bonnie a smoldering glance.

"I don't mean to rain on your whole baby supreme thing, but we need to find a way to save Elena." Tyler interjected. He desperately wanted to absolve himself of the guilt he felt over hurting his friend.

"It sure would be nice if we had that damn cure that Elena wasted on Katherine," Caroline said in frustration as she rested her chin on her hand and stared at the fire place in thought.

They all sat in silence for a moment when all of sudden a thought popped into Lucy's awareness. "Oh. My. God."

"What Lucy?" Bonnie's eyes darted swiftly over to her cousin.

"There's another cure. Well not another one but the same one only it's in the past."

Everyone looked skeptically at Lucy.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Damon squinted his eyes at her.

"Regina Bennett, a cousin of ours, helped the Gemini coven imprison one of their own back in nineteen ninety four."

"Why nineteen ninety four?" Damon asked inquisitively.

"Because they needed to lock him away in a point of time where a celestial event happened," Melissa added and everyone flashed her an astonishing look. "What? I know stuff."

They all chuckled.

"Okay, so they locked the guy up in nineteen ninety four. What does that mean for us?" Tyler asked.

"It means the cure still exist," Damon whispered in surprise.

"Well how do we get back there?" Bonnie asked.

"According to Regina's notes in her dairy, there's an artifact called an ascendant. It and Bennett's blood will get us back to that time."

"Bonnie's not going back to nineteen ninety four," Damon warned.

"She doesn't have to. I'll go," Lucy said.

"Damon, I don't want you to go either," Bonnie said worriedly.

"Oh, I'm not," Damon spat his eyes like saucers.

"I'll go!" Caroline shouted.

"I want to, but I have to stay with Bonnie," Tyler answered disappointedly.

"I'm sorry Tyler," Bonnie replied sadly.

"I'll call Stefan." Damon whipped his cell phone out of his back pocket and quickly dialed his brother.

"What did Klaus say?" Stefan answered on the third ring. His voice was gravelly.

"Well hello to you too brother."

"I'm sorry. I'm just worried."

"There's bad news and there's…I guess –good news."

"What's the bad news?"

Elena hurriedly sat up on the couch and began listening in on their conversation.

"Klaus won't give us his blood, but Lucy says there's a cure back in nineteen ninety four."

"What?" Stefan asked with a raised brow.

"According to Lucy, a Bennett witch helped lock up a real lunatic back in ninety four and sense it's the past, she believes the cure may still exist."

"That's a lot of maybe's."

"Stefan, I want to go," Elena intervened.

Stefan turned slowly around to her. He looked uncomfortable at Elena. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. If there's a cure, I have to find it. I have to; for myself; for my friends," Elena explained in a brittle voice, her eyes watery.

"Okay." He exhaled. "Elena wants to go. Are you and Bonnie coming with us?"

"Bonnie's pregnant, and hell no!" Damon yelled into the phone. Stefan flashed the phone away from his ear.

"Okay, well…where am I supposed to get Bennett blood?"

"Wow! You've been with Elena for two hours and you've already lost seventy five percent of your brain power."

"Ahh, shit. Lucy."

"Ding ding ding ding –yes, and blondie wants to tag alone too." Damon looked at Caroline and winked. She turned her nose up at him, flashing Damon a disgusted look. He flashed her a wounded facial expression.

Stefan let out a light, awkward chortle. "Uh, so I have to go to ninety four with Lucy, Caroline and Elena?" he asked and then nervously scratched his forehead.

"Oooh, I'd hate to be in your shoes," Damon said and then laughed.

"This is going to be fun," Stefan mumbled worriedly. He looked at Elena and then back out the window with a horrified look in his eyes as he listened to his brother laugh at him on the other end of the line.

( ~ )

A/N: Don't worry, I'm not going to turn this into the Elena show. Some writers prefer to make Elena the villain, but I would like to fix her and give her the ending the writers failed to give her. Will she die? Will she end up back with Stefan, or will she finally choose herself? Sound off in the comments/reviews.

We gone wrap this cure thing up in one chapter and it won't take up an entire chapter either. I promise. XOXO


	20. Chapter 20: Epiphany Part I

A/N: I do not know how to pace myself. Oh. My. God. I love love love this chapter. Somebody stop me from writing… LOL!

To the viewer with whiplash, I'm sorry babe! I have an issue with patience. LOL! I think you are going to get whiplash, again. Please don't send me the bill. I'm broke. LMAO!

Please, please, please review.

…and you all will be happy to know that I've decided to give Stefan a new love interest. I feel like SE was damaged too badly to repair, and also I feel that realistically there should be trust issues in their relationship. It will be illogical to write them as happily in love after she kept choosing Damon over and over, and there is nothing going on between Lucy and Stefan really. They are truly bed buddies and good friends. I hope to shed more light on that in the next few chapters.

I like that chick that played Rebekah Mikaelson in The Original's, Eva Sinclair. ;) I will build up this new Stefan/Eva couple. They won't be love at first sight.

I've never watched TO so her character will be in my POV.

*Characters owned by CW, Julie Plec, and Kevin Williamson. Copyright Infringement not intended.*

**Oblivion Chapter 20: Epiphany Part I**

There was once a time when Damon Salvatore would be out of his mind with grief about Elena Gilbert's death-defying quandary, but this Damon was too consumed by Bonnie Bennett to even remember who Elena Gilbert was.

Here it was, the wee hours of the morning and Damon was up, hand against his cheek, caressing Bonnie's pregnant belly and gawking down at her beautiful, flawless, tawny heart shaped face and her gorgeous slanted eyes and long eye lashes.

It wasn't long before Bonnie began to wake. Damon believed his magical touch had awoken her. What actually brought Bonnie to life was the baby giving her body grand delusions of having to relieve her very full bladder.

The baby was growing inside of her little by little like a snail inching its way from one blade of grass to another. Bonnie was due for another growth spurt. She knew that she wasn't nearly as big as some of the images she had seen online of other women in their last month of pregnancy.

Bonnie opened her eyes and jumped out of bed. Damon leaned into her for a kiss. He kissed her pillow instead.

"Hey?" his eyes darted across the room to a quickly fleeing Bonnie.

"Sorry! I have to pee!" she yelled from the open door of the bathroom.

Damon lightly chuckled. He couldn't help but laugh at the irony of Bonnie Bennett peeing in what was once solely his bathroom with the door wide open. Damon was still finding it unbelievable that he and Bonnie shared the same bed and hadn't yet to kill each other because they were so in love with one another.

Damon watched intently as Bonnie got up from the toilet and pulled up her not so frilly and not so seductive grandma panties. She pushed Damon's white t-shirt down over her pregnant belly before going to the sink to wash her hands.

Bonnie frolicked around in the mirror, pushing her hair back on her forehead as she inspected her face. She flashed all her teeth in the mirror, examining them too.

Damon smiled at her all the while as she drifted off into her own little world right in front of the bathroom vanity. His silvery, blue eyes traveled down her body to her very toned and shapely legs. Bonnie had killer legs. Damon absentmindedly bit his bottom lip as dirty thoughts began to fill his head.

Bonnie brushed, flossed her teeth and washed her face. She brushed her hair and ran her fingers through her long, wavy, chocolate locks before swooping them over her shoulder. She then grabbed her plump, tummy and began posing and smiling in the mirror. She blew kisses and winked at herself all while rubbing on her belly.

Damon completely forgot all about sexy times with his wife. He lowly chuckled and smiled so that his cheeks began to hurt at how sassy, adorable, and sexy Bonnie Bennett-Salvatore was.

Bonnie finally snapped out of her dream world. She turned off the bathroom light and dragged herself back to the bed with a tired look on her face. She acted as if her short-lived, childish moment had never happened.

She hopped on the bed, folded a leg underneath her bottom and flung the white spread over her lap. She looked over at a tickled Damon.

"What?" she asked with a raised brow.

"We're not going to talk about what just happened in the bathroom?" Damon asked, then flashed her a knowing grin.

"Huh, I used the bathroom," she answered skeptically and shrugged her shoulders at him.

Damon laughed, again. Bonnie grabbed his nose and squeezed it as she smiled affectionately at him.

"Give me a kiss." She leaned into him and gave him a sweet moist peck on the lips.

"Mmm, all of our mornings should start out like this," he said once his lips left hers.

Damon parted her mouth with his. He speedily and tenderly slipped his tongue into her warm mouth.

The feel of him sent chills down Bonnie's spine as they deepened their kiss. Bonnie completely shut everything out of her mind as she honed in on Damon's lips intensely brushing against hers. She hadn't kissed Damon so neurotically since they had been back. She drifted down to the bed as she became more engaged in the kiss. She ran her fingers through his hair and suckled, pecked, and let her tongue periodically swirl around his.

Damon moaned as he fisted the tail of her shirt in his strong hand and tenderly rubbed the side of her pregnant belly.

Bonnie slowly pulled away from the kiss, and it wasn't because she didn't want more. She wanted to look at the man, her husband that she had kissed mere seconds ago. She was completely captivated by Damon.

Damon pecked her lips after she pulled away from him a few times more. Their lips made the suctioning sound each time they made contact.

"That was amazing," Damon said after he pulled away from their morning make out section. He laid his head comfortable on his forearm and flashed Bonnie a smoldering glance.

Bonnie softly giggled as she folded her bottom lip into her top one. She relaxed next to him in a similar fashion.

"What did I do to deserve such a warm greeting?" he asked in a low, husky, smoky voice.

"Mm, nothing. I just wanted to kiss my husband, the father of my child."

"You are so beautiful. You know that?" Damon took his fingers and swept loose strands of hair off of Bonnie's forehead.

"I know." Bonnie playfully wrinkled her nose at him and flashed him a crooked smile and Damon let out an embellished laugh.

"So, what do you want to do today?" he asked.

"So, what do you want to do today?" he asked, still a little tickled by Bonnie's remark.

"I need to go shopping for Maternity clothes. I want to go riding, and maybe…if I'm up to it, we can visit my home."

"Your dad's house?" Damon asked, astounded.

"Is that a problem?" she replied.

"No, never. I'd love to visit the home you grew up in." Damon smiled.

"I wish you could have met my dad."

"I'd doubt your dad would've liked me," he said in gloomy voice.

"It doesn't matter how he would've felt about you. I love you, and that's all that matters." Bonnie leaned into Damon. She cupped his chin with her thin fingers and kissed his forehead, his crooked, round nose, and his mauve, pouty lips.

As Bonnie slowly pulled away from the smooch, Damon dazed at her with a dreamy eyed look in his eyes. He was so happy that he felt like he was floating on clouds.

Damon's happiness began to diminish as the events of the last forty eight hours began to seep into his mind, hijacking the beautiful memories that he was trying to make with her now.

He and Bonnie hadn't had a quiet moment alone since they returned home. All he, she, they wanted was merely some time to simply discuss all the things that had happened to them and to talk about important things like baby names.

"So, how are you feeling?" he asked.

Bonnie looked at Damon and then out into the room. The darkness was quickly being rolled away by daylight as it tiptoed across the room, allowing Bonnie to get a good look at her newly designed bedroom. Her eyes wandered over the red chair and chase and then at the teak wood flooring in thought.

"I can't believe Elena's going to die," she whispered in a toneless voice as she looked out into the room with a confounded look in her eyes.

"I'm not talking about how you feel about Elena's situation. I want to know how you feel about what your friends did to you," Damon replied in a comforting voice as he tenderly rubbed Bonnie's legs over the soft, white blanket.

Bonnie lightly smiled. It was refreshing to hear Damon be more concerned about her than her friend.

"It really hurts me that they are so against us." She paused as she looked deeply into his attentive eyes. "I knew that when we returned that there would be some conflict with us and Elena and Jeremy, but I never imagined that Matt, Caroline, and even Tyler at one point during our disagreement would object to us finding one another too." She inhaled, then exhaled and continued.

"I thought since we all banded together to take care of Mystic Falls that the problems we once had with one another were a thing of the past." Bonnie grabbed Damon's hand after revealing some of what she felt about the incident. She linked their fingers together for support and sweetly caressed the inside of his hand.

Damon watched her in thought for a few minutes as he contemplated over what to say and how to make Bonnie feel better.

"We did come together –or we were forced together rather to protect each other and our town, but I've never really made amends for the awful things I put your friends through Bonnie." Damon flashed her a disheartened look.

Bonnie didn't remember a time where Damon had looked or had been so remorseful about anything that he had done or towards anyone that he had hurt except her.

"It's kind of hard for your friends to accept me as your guy when I've given them no good indication of me being good enough for you."

"This is true, but they still had no right to come down on me the way they did," Bonnie fussed.

Damon flashed her a stunned look and then smiled. "Wow! Look at you."

"What?" she answered and then flashed him her sparkling smile.

"You're always forgive, forgive. Take the high road, now here you are, getting all fired up. I like it." Damon flashed her a smoldering expression, then winked.

"I've always been so used to forgiving my friends and that day was no different. I still excuse them of what they did because I understand their point of view. There's no malice in my heart for them, but if they ever approach me so aggressively about you again…I won't be so nice. I love you Damon, and I'm not going to let anyone come between us," she answered seriously.

Damon smiled lovingly at her. He couldn't believe how protective Bonnie was of their relationship, of their love.

"Even still, I want to do the right thing –for you." He paused.

"But I will rip off Caroline's head and break both the quarterback's hands if they –ever…hurt you again." Damon said seriously, but then followed up his very definite promise with an endearing look.

"Fair enough," Bonnie replied as she ran her fingers through the front of Damon's hair.

"There's something else I want to talk to you about," he said.

"Mmm, what?" Bonnie squinted her eyes inquiringly at him. She wondered what else bothered Damon.

"The day when we returned, and Jeremy came over, holding the blonde's hand. You…you…you seemed pretty devastated." Damon stammered for the words as he looked anxiously at her.

Bonnie's lips curled into her tawny cheek. She beamed at knowing that Damon Salvatore was glum about her loving someone other than him.

"I wasn't devastated to see him with another woman. I was disappointed. I realized while dating him as a ghost," Bonnie said playfully. She chuckled and Damon followed. "I gathered that Jeremy and I weren't as compatible as I had hoped that we would be, and that our relationship was very one-sided. People who really love each other don't cheat on one another… at least that's what I believe." Bonnie looked somberly at Damon.

"You were hoping that he cared enough for you to not show up with another woman on his arms," he replied in a matter of fact tone, and then rolled his eyes at the thought of it all.

Bonnie looked at him, her eyes said everything she could not.

A peaceful silence fell between them as they listened to the inhabitants of the house began to move about. Like Damon had his thoughts about Bonnie and her feelings for Jeremy, Bonnie had hers about Damon and Elena. She recognized that Damon loved her very much, but a small part of her couldn't help but think about that kiss.

She wanted to know what made Damon kiss Elena, and to a greater extent, she was curious as to how he felt about kissing her after being away from Elena for so long.

"So, that kiss?" She asked guiltily as she looked down at the bed.

"What?" Damon squinted his eyes curiously at her remark. "Kiss?" he asked, still puzzled.

"Yours and Elena's reunion kiss." Bonnie raised her eyebrows at him and flashed him an exasperated look.

"Ugh," Damon growled. He rolled out from underneath the covers. He was stark naked. He stood up and walked to their large bedroom opening and leaned against the frame of the window.

Bonnie had almost forgot about the infamous kiss and her question as she looked at Damon's nude, chiseled, milky body. He had perfect legs for a guy and an adorable ass. Bonnie certainly loved his strong biceps. She deeply swallowed at knowing that he held her all throughout the night with those strong, beautiful, protective arms of his.

Bonnie's emerald eyes traveled down over his wild, raven hair, his profusely clicking jaw, and his strong back and firm backside. He was tense. Bonnie purged the weakness that she felt for Damon from her mind and put her focus back on the issue at hand. Damon seemed to be shirking off her question and it made her slightly worried.

She had a feeling that he was simply upset with himself for what he had done but there was a little part of her that still held onto fear and doubt about Elena and Damon.

"Damon," Bonnie said in a soft spoken voice, politely interrupting the quietness of the room.

"I don't know why I kissed Elena, Bonnie," he answered in a taut voice as he looked dazedly out the sheer turquoise curtains. "When I felt her arms wrap around me, and when I felt her lips touch mine…a familiar feeling came rushing back into me." He paused.

Bonnie looked at him with a troubled look in her watery eyes as she deeply swallowed.

"As we kissed…a hollow feeling fell over me. I felt nothing." Damon moved his hands robotically in front of him as he lazily explained his encounter with Elena through lifeless eyes.

Bonnie looked down at the white duvet and nervously twisted the material between her thin fingers.

"As my body went through the motions, memories of us standing at the altar back in Gardenia began to flood my mind." He turned around and looked at Bonnie, life instantly filled his silvery, blue eyes as they met Bonnie's glistening, green ones. "I don't ever remember feeling as wonderful as I did then." He let out a liberated sigh, then walked over to the bed and sat down beside Bonnie and leaned into her. He gazed at her through his moistened eyes.

"I didn't think any moment could top our wedding, then I woke up the next morning with you, my wife, in my arms."

Bonnie's lips began to quiver, she couldn't hold back her tears. She began to loudly sob, crying tears of joy. Damon smiled and chuckled at her as he pressed his hand gently against the side of her warm, moistened face and trailed the pad of his thumb over her tawny cheek. He kissed her delicate round nose then pressed his forehead against hers.

Bonnie linked her fingers behind his neck and continued to cry.

"I can't believe my life is so perfect. I never imagined things being so wonderful for someone like me," Bonnie cried through the words.

"Believe it Bonnie. It's your time to be happy, and I feel so fortunate to have someone and something as real as you and your love," Damon whispered with his eyes closed, his forehead still firmly against hers as he continued to cup her face with his strong hand.

"Oh my God, I can't stop crying." Bonnie quickly pulled away from Damon and animatedly shook her hands in front of her trying to stop herself from profusely sobbing and laughing.

Damon let out a low chortle. "I know what will make you stop crying…" He trailed off as he drifted into Bonnie.

Bonnie immediately stopped bawling as she watched Damon's mauve lips slightly pucker as he prepared to kiss her. Just as Damon was about to close his eyes and plant a kiss on Bonnie's soft, warm lips, Bonnie's nostrils had other plans. Damon jerked back after seeing Bonnie's tiny little snot bubble.

"Oops," Bonnie shrugged and then giggled.

"Ugh." Damon frowned and twisted his upper lip in disgust at Bonnie's bodily fluids.

Bonnie absentmindedly whipped her nose with the back of her hand, disgusting Damon further.

"Oh my God, things just got real." Damon widened his eyes in disbelief. He jumped up from the bed and ran to the bathroom.

"It's just a little snot. I'm your wife! Kiss me!" she shouted to the closed bathroom door and then burst into a fit of laughter.

( ~ )

Whilst Damon was taking a shower, Bonnie decided to put on a pot of coffee. She was for sure that she would see some of the others up and stirring about the house, but oddly, the living room was eerily quiet. Bonnie entered the kitchen. She smiled when she saw Lucy sitting at the table drinking a cup of coffee.

"Hey, I knew I heard someone outside of my bedroom door this morning," Bonnie chimed.

"Yeah, I've got a long day ahead of me. I just got off the phone with a friend of Regina's. Josette Parker is going to let us use the ascendant to make the trip back to nineteen ninety four, but we can only go to Nova Scotia. She doesn't want us to run into her sociopathic brother," she replied in a somnolent and concerned voice.

Bonnie flashed Lucy a troubling expression. "Are you sure you're up for this trip?"

"No, but if I don't go, you will. I can't have you sacrificing yourself and the baby for a damn Pertrova. I'm sorry Bonnie, but I don't give a crap about Elena Gilbert." Lucy turned up her nose at the sound of Elena's name rolling off her tongue.

Bonnie smiled sweetly at her cousin.

"Well, if you must know, I'm not going to sacrifice my baby's life or mine. I don't want Elena to die, but traveling to a place unknown is not in the cards for me," Bonnie said as she leaned against the counter, folding her arms over her front. She wore a serious facial expression.

Lucy grinned from ear to ear. She was proud of her cousin for thinking about herself for once. "Look at you, all grown up."

Bonnie turned around towards the faucet. She washed her hands as she looked out the kitchen window and blindly reached for a towel lying next to the sink.

"There was a time I would have laid down and died for Elena, but as I sat up in my bedroom, crying and alone, thinking about how Elena attacked me, I knew that I couldn't be that person anymore." Bonnie continued to look out the window with a faraway look in her eyes as she leaned against the counter.

Lucy looked inquisitively at her cousin.

"Why should I die for people who find it so easy to take my life?" Bonnie asked the question as if she had an epiphany.

"Do you hate Elena?" Lucy's dry voice broke through the audible silence.

Bonnie continued to look out the window, not saying a word. She finally turned around, minutes later.

"I don't hate Elena, but I want to live Lucy. I'm having a little girl. I want to be here for her." Bonnie's voice cracked due to her overwhelming feelings. She began to cry.

Knowing that she could have lost her child due to Elena's brutal assault against her, it made Bonnie take a good long look at herself and the things that she loved. Damon had fought so vigorously for their little girl. She knew that he couldn't be the only one. She was the mother. She had to fight for her little girl, even more ferociously than her father.

Lucy became teary-eyed over seeing her cousin bawling a river of tears. She rushed over to Bonnie, swung her arms around her and squeezed Bonnie tightly to her.

"Welcome to the coven, Bennett witch," Lucy said after gently pulling away from Bonnie and cupping her chin with her hand.

Bonnie laughed and then wiped away her tears.

Bonnie's and Lucy's emotional moment soon passed. Bonnie grabbed a coffee mug from out of the cabinet and poured Damon's cup full. She then grabbed a medium size glass bowl from the other cupboard.

"What are you making?" Lucy asked as she sat at the table pecurilarly watching Bonnie as she sipped on her coffee.

Bonnie cocked a brow oddly at Lucy's question. "Oh, this. I thought I would play a cute baby name game with Damon." Bonnie beamed.

"Ahh, yes, the baby will need a name." Lucy smiled.

"Hopefully…this won't take long, but knowing Damon…I'm sure it will." Bonnie rolled her eyes and they both laughed.

( ~ )

Bonnie hurried back to the room with the bowl, pen and paper inside of it in one hand, and Damon's hot cup of coffee in the other. She hurried over to the night side table, sat Damon's hot beverage down, and then plopped down on the bed.

"Natasha. I really like that name," she said of the first name she jotted down. Bonnie whipped out her cell phone and looked up the meaning of the name. "Mmm, it originated from Slavic. OMG! It means born at Christmas. Now I really like this name!" she beamed.

After taking down all the names she separated her choices by tearing the paper into pieces. She threw the names in to the bowl and mixed them up like a tossed salad.

Damon entered the room just in enough time to see Bonnie playing house. All she needed was a toy kitchen to live out her childhood fantasies.

"What, no mud pie?" he teased and then smiled as he patted his hair dry with his towel. He walked to the dresser and grabbed a pair of jeans, underwear, and a black t-shirt.

"I'm not playing," Bonnie sassed. She then looked up at the ceiling with a knowing look. She sniggered at her bizarre comment because she was indeed playing a game. "Well, I'm playing, but not house."

"Well, then what are you playing?" he asked as he slipped on his underpants and then his jeans.

"We need to pick a name for the baby, so I thought we'd make it fun by mixing our favorite names in this bowl. Then we each pick two names. Lastly, we'll decide on which two names to give our little girl for her first and middle name." Bonnie gushed as she flashed Damon her dazzling smile and eagerly bounced on top of the bed.

Damon raised a brow and twisted his upper lip bizarrely at Bonnie. "You think that's fun?" he questioned as if Bonnie had gone mad.

"Yeah, silly."

"Oh, wow. You are serious," he said in an unbelieving tone.

Bonnie's shoulders drooped and she flashed Damon an annoyed look.

"All I'm saying Bon Bon, while I think choosing a name for our little girl is exciting in itself, merely picking out pieces of paper from out of bowl, shouting _Oh! Oh! Oh! I got Sabrina!_ is hardly a game changer."

"What do you want me to do Damon, levitate a witch hat in the middle of the room and have baby names shooting out of it on fire?"

"Oooh, can you do that?!" Damon beamed with enthusiasm.

Bonnie's eyes widened. She lit up like a Christmas tree as a thought came to mind. "Oooh!" she yelled excitedly.

Bonnie sprang from the bed and grabbed the bowl. "Jot down some of your favorite names and put them inside."

"What…what…what are you going to do?" Damon asked eagerly as he speedily grabbed the pen and paper off the bed. He wrote his names down with vampire speed.

Bonnie smiled at seeing Damon use his gift of speed for such a mundane thing like writing down names and tearing up pieces of paper. She now wished that she had used her magic in the same manner, but now here was her chance to show Damon that she too, knew how to have fun with her gifts as well.

Bonnie tossed the names up into the atmosphere. The strips of paper immediately turned into butterflies at the blink of an eye.

"Whoa!" Damon shouted as he looked around the room, eyes like saucers at seeing all the different shades of butterflies. "Amazing," he said, his voice childlike.

Bonnie too looked around at what she had done with a proud facial expression before observing Damon with a gleaming look in her eyes. She truly enjoyed seeing an angelic faced Damon and the twinkling of his baby blues. She never imagined Damon Salvatore could be so adorable, yet here he was, in all his adorable glory.

A butterfly flew by Bonnie, stealing her attention as its wing brushed the tip of her nose. She grabbed it and it instantaneously turned back into a piece of paper.

"Ah man you killed it," Damon frowned.

"It was never a real butterfly, silly." Bonnie shook her head at his comment and then giggled.

"Can I pick one too?" Damon asked as if he were a little boy asking his mother for permission.

"Yes, pick two," Bonnie rushed out.

Damon tried to catch a butterfly but it escaped his grasp. "Shit!" He tried two more times and was still unsuccessful.

"Maybe you should use your vamp speed," Bonnie suggested. She pushed her bottom lip into her top one and then shrugged.

"Don't be so cocky, Bennett." Damon flashed her a scowl and then did as she suggested. He caught two butterflies in one take. He looked at Bonnie with a gloating look and waggled his eyes at her.

"Ah man, neither of these are my choices," he fussed after looking at the names.

Bonnie looked at Damon and smiled before walking over to him. She leaned into him and looked down at the names.

"Natasha Apple Salvatore? Apple Natasha Salvatore?" she read, and then frowned up at the weird combination of words.

"What did you get?" Damon asked as he leaned into Bonnie to see the names that she had picked. "Oh, these are mine!" He was excited. "Sabrina Rumor Salvatore?" He pushed his bottom lip into his top one, making a sour face. "How about Rumor Sabrina Salvatore?" Damon suggested, then wiggled his eyes at her.

They looked at each other in thought and then out into the room with the same contemplative look in their eyes.

They then looked back at each other. "Nah," they said in unison. They threw the names on the floor and laughed.

"Let's pick again," Bonnie said.

"I like Sabrina can we keep it?" Damon asked.

"Sabrina, Damon?"

"Yeah, what's wrong with Sabrina?" he wrinkled his brow curiously at her.

"Because I know you got the name from _Sabrina the Teenaged Witch _movie."

"No…no…no, no I didn't," Damon stuttered nervously for the words and then turned his back to Bonnie and sniggered.

"I knew it!" she shouted.

They hastily chose another four names between them.

"I got Laquisha and Tina. Still not either of my choices, and Laquisha…and Apple, really Bonnie?"

"Don't you dare say it. I love those names," she protested.

"Umph, what name did you pull this time, Shaniqua and Banana?" Damon answered and then laughed.

"I got Lily and South, dumbass, and South, really Damon?"

"If Kanye West can do it then why can't I?" Damon flashed Bonnie and incredulously look.

"Somehow I don't think you're taking choosing a good name for a child seriously," Bonnie nagged.

"South is a good strong name Bonnie. South…Salvatore. People are going to take notice," he exulted.

"You are not Kanye. One day I'm going to zap away your ego," she shot back

"…and Lily? You don't like that name either?" Damon asked in a brokenhearted voice.

"Now that name I adore," she said.

"Good, because it was my mother's name." He slightly grinned as he folded his arms over his front.

"It's beautiful Damon. We have to name our little girl Lily, after your mother." Bonnie beamed, but as soon as the words slipped from her lips she doubled over in pain and her butterflies went falling down to the floor with her.

"Bonnie!" Damon yelled before he zoomed over to her.

Bonnie intensely rubbed her belly, trying to massage out the pain. The agony came and went quickly.

"I'm okay," Bonnie said in a strangled voice as she struggled to regain her balance.

Damon helped her stand upright.

"I guess this means our baby likes the name," Bonnie joked and Damon let out a gently chortle.

"I guess so," he said sweetly with an alarmed look in his eyes. Damon walked Bonnie over to the bed and directed her off her feet. He sat down beside her. "Are you okay? You want to continue with the game?" he asked as he amorously caressed Bonnie's belly.

"Yeah, I think I'm going to be okay." Bonnie furrowed her brow in thought as she watched Damon fondly massage her stomach.

"So, what do you think about Lily Sabrina Salvatore?"

"Ugh, I hate Sabrina. Can we please not give our daughter that name," Bonnie fussed and Damon laughed, again.

"There is just no pleasing you." He wiggled his eyes at Bonnie, and she flashed him a sassy look.

Damon picked another name from off the floor. "Amelia. This is a pretty name."

"I saw the name Amelia on a grave stone in one of my nightmares," Bonnie said casually.

"Who can resist a name from a headstone," Damon joked. "So, how about Lily Amelia Salvatore?" he suggested in an appealing voice, flashing Bonnie a seductive look.

"Awww, that sounds cute." She beamed. "I love it! That's the name." As soon as the words rolled off Bonnie's tongue, she felt that same torturous, sharp pain quickly radiate over her belly. Bonnie's muscles twisted and stretched, causing an ungodly burning sensation to emit throughout her abdomen.

"I think I'm going into labor," she said breathlessly.

"No, it's too soon. You don't look like the other girls." Damon hopped up from the bed and directed Bonnie to lie down. Damon realized he should be happy that his little girl might be on the way, but he had concerns because Bonnie didn't look far enough along. She looked nothing like the pregnant women that he had seen on the web.

"What other girls?" Bonnie asked windily.

"I went online, searching for women in their third tri-master. They were huge!" Damon embellished.

"You went online too!" Bonnie said excitedly as she eagerly sat up in bed, agitating the pain she felt. "Ow, ow, ow, ow," she rushed out and then laughed at herself as she slowly drifted back down to the mattress.

"I think the baby is communicating with me. I think she likes the name."

"But she's hurting you Bonnie." Damon grimaced. "If she liked the name we chose for her, wouldn't she do something nice like make a rainbow in the sky or turn the bed into a pool of feathers?"

Bonnie's eyes darted over to her very concerned husband. Damon looked so dangerously handsome to her in this moment that she almost forgot about their current situation. "You are so handsome."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, the baby Bonnie."

"Don't worry Damon. I'm probably in labor."

"But you don't look far enough along," he argued.

"Looks can be deceiving Damon. Not all the women I saw carried their child the same. I feel better, okay? Now please go downstairs and make me some breakfast. I'll be down after I shower." Bonnie bounded from the bed. She grabbed Damon by his hand, pulled him to his feet, and then pushed him towards the door.

"You can't get rid of me this easily." Damon zoomed around to Bonnie, flashing her a stern look.

Bonnie poked out her lip and twisted from side to side in front of him. "Lily is hungry. I'm hungry too," she whined.

Damon looked at Bonnie with a serious gaze, placed his hands on his hip, and pushed out a knee. He knew what Bonnie was trying to do. He really wanted to press the issue, but he had heard her stomach growl at least three times while playing the baby name game. He went from being worried to feeling guilty about neglecting his pregnant wife on a dime.

"Okay, take a shower. I'll make you something to eat, but this discussion is not over," he reprimanded.

"Aye, Aye Captain," Bonnie saluted him and flashed Damon a funny face. He sweetly smiled, kissed her on the lips, and then speedily left the room.

After Damon left, a serious and concerned look flashed across Bonnie's face. The things that were happening by way of her child was both amazing and scary all at once. She blinked her eyes as she tried to shake the morbid thoughts of her little girl being something other than the altruistic human-being that she knew in her heart that she would be.

Just as sadness and fear began to creep into Bonnie, something miraculous happened. The room brightened as if Bonnie had entered a dream world. In the beams of light that shone strongly through the sheer drapes revealed tiny, glittering specs. Along with the illuminated effects of the room, was a wonderful growing feeling inside of Bonnie. Her stomach tingled and Natasha fluttered wildly about inside of her.

Bonnie lazily rubbed her belly as she drifted off into a trance like state. She closed her eyes and began to rock mindlessly in place. Bonnie tilted her head back to the ceiling and opened her now, _**silvery, blue eyes**_. They were wide as saucers. She froze in place as her body was being taking over by another.

"Natasha. Natasha. Natasha," Bonnie chanted repeatedly the name that she had wrote down first.

After Lily affectively relayed her message to her mother of the name that she wanted, she released her.

Bonnie's head dropped and she slowly opened her eyes. She looked around at her vibrant room in wonderment as she grabbed her forehead, wondering where the time had gone.

"What was I doing?" she whispered.

( ~ )

Damon was in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on breakfast whilst Bonnie was upstairs getting dressed. She still hadn't went shopping for maternity clothes but she instantly perked up once she remembered the items she brought back from Gardenia.

As luck would have it, Bonnie brought back the beautiful maternity dresses that Zinnia had given to her. She dragged the bag across the surface and emptied its contents out onto the floor. She grabbed a red dress adorned with golden beads around the neck.

She rushed to the dresser mirror and held the dress in front of her. The moment she held the outfit up to her bare chest, flashbacks of her time with Zinnia came rushing into her mind. She recalled the first time they shared a girls day out by the lake.

Remembering her good friend made Bonnie emotional. She walked somberly over to the bed and sat down, her white panties that she brought back from Gardenia rode slightly up her round rump. Tears streamed down her face. She missed her friends and her home back on new earth.

Bonnie wanted to go back, but she fled that place to protect her child, yet here she was, back in Mystic Falls, having to do that very same thing, protect her child from her best friend.

She hoped with all her heart that her deathly encounter with Elena was their last. It certainly wasn't their first. She remembered that not so long ago in her short distant past that Elena tried to kill her at their senior prom. She forgave her that time too because she had turned off her humanity, and that still didn't make her feel any better about what had happened.

Bonnie inhaled, internally shaking the saturnine thoughts from her mind. She slipped the dress over her head and adjusted the dress over her rump and thighs. She dragged herself back to the mirror and ran her thin fingers over the garment and turned from side to side to get a better view at how she looked in the dress. She slightly grinned. She was pleased with her outfit and how it showcased her very, curvy silhouette.

Bonnie slipped into her sandals, another thing that she had brought back from Gardenia and then headed downstairs. She walked quickly through the house. She smiled once she heard the happy voices coming from the kitchen. She burst through the door, a huge dazzling smile on her face.

"Wow! Look at you!" Melissa said in a modulated voice.

Damon's eyes darted over to the entrance. His jaw dropped and his eyes enlarged at the sight of Bonnie in the sexy, red, cap sleeved Gardenia dress.

"You like it?" Bonnie asked. She still hadn't caught the astounded look on Damon's face.

"Duh," Melissa bounced out of her chair and walked around Bonnie.

"You do look quite beautiful Bonnie," Enzo complimented as he leaned against the end of the counter right behind Damon.

"Hi Enzo. I didn't know…you still…lived here." Bonnie said hesitantly as she narrowed her gaze interestedly at him.

"I try not to hang around too much. I know you all need your privacy, and now since this lug is back, I can easily rest," Enzo answered, then patted Damon on the back.

"If you and I weren't already involved with these two crazy people, I'd take you right out of here and marry you," Tyler chimed as he sat at the table gobbling down some scrambled eggs.

"Hey, hey, that's my wife you're talking too!" Damon shouted.

"Really!" Tyler's eyes widened.

Enzo choked on his coffee.

"You two got married? When? You've only been back for less than a week!" Tyler spat.

"We got married in Gardenia, but we're going to make things official here too, after our baby is born," Damon said as he gazed dangerously into Bonnie's eyes.

She immediately became uncomfortable under his powerful, nostalgic regard.

"Oh, can I be your maid of honor?" Melissa rushed out as she took Bonnie by the shoulders and lightly shook her. The move snapped Bonnie right out of her trance like state with Damon.

"Uh, uh, uh." Bonnie stuttered.

"Melissa, I'm sitting right here," Lucy said, annoyed.

Whilst Bonnie and the ladies were engaged in conversation, Damon fixed Bonnie's plate and walked it over to her. He trailed his fingers as gentle as a feather down her heated, tawny arm.

He's electrifying touch caught Bonnie's attention. She drifted into him and sat down at the table after Damon pulled out her chair. Melissa was so busy rambling on and on about wedding dresses and places to get married that she didn't catch the enthralling moment between Bonnie and Damon, but Enzo did. A pleasant grin crossed his lips.

"You look very beautiful," Damon said in a smoky voice.

"This old thing." Bonnie blushed and Damon laughed.

Enzo wasn't really all that surprised to see Bonnie and Damon end up together. He hardly knew Bonnie, and he barely saw Bonnie and Damon together, but the few times that he did, he could tell that there was something special happening whenever they clashed or merely communicated. It was odd to Enzo however, to see Damon be the doting husband, but he had to admit that he quite liked the new Damon Salvatore.

It didn't take long for Caroline to cross Enzo's mind as he happily watched Bonnie and Damon be so loving toward each other.

Enzo removed his cell from his back pocket. He studied it for a minute. He had hoped that Caroline would call him, and possibly invite him along on their trip to ninety four. He lost his pleasant appearance once seeing that Caroline hadn't called him.

"You alright dude?" Damon asked.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Enzo answered, startled, and then departed the kitchen for the living room.

Enzo ran straight to the bar and poured himself a stiff drink and then another before taking a seat on the couch. He plopped back against the sofa, rested his foot alongside the coffee table, and caressed his bottom lip with the side of his finger in thought.

He was incredible lonely, and the little time he had spent with Caroline, talking about Stefan and her life in general, made him feel a certain fondness for her. He deeply sighed as he looked at his phone again, still anticipating her call.

After fifteen long, agonizing and miserable minutes had gone by, the doorbell rang. His eyes darted to the clock over the fire place, seeing that it was a quarter to eight. He squinted his eyes, wondering who could be at the Salvatore's so bright and early.

He heard Lucy say something about answering the door. "I'll get it!" He yelled at the top of his voice.

"Okay!" Lucy yelled back.

Enzo flashed to the front door. He hurriedly opened it. His eyes enlarged with glee at seeing Caroline on the steps.

"Hey," he greeted nervously.

"Hey, it's you," Caroline greeted. She was equally as nervous, and she didn't know why.

Enzo hurriedly stepped aside, allowing Caroline entry. She looked bashfully at him before slowly, walking to the living room. Enzo walked, slowly behind her. His eyes wandered up and down her lean, tall frame.

Caroline took a seat on the couch and Enzo sat down beside her, leaving a comfortable distance between them. They looked at each other, smiling, both of them were at a loss for words.

"Is Stefan here?" Caroline asked, breaking the silence between them.

Enzo frowned. He'd rather her ask him anything than about Stefan.

"I don't know, but I'll check my back pocket for him," he rudely joked.

Caroline lost her smile. She immediately picked up on the awkwardness of her question.

"Is Bonnie up?" she quickly changed the subject.

Enzo agitatedly rubbed his forehead, he felt regretful about his smart remark. He wanted a do over.

"I think Stefan stayed at Elena's last night, and yes, Bonnie is up. She's in the kitchen eating breakfast," he answered.

Caroline's eyes widened in horror as her heart dropped to her stomach.

Enzo closed and opened his eyes. He wish that he was sucking on a blood bag. He desired to have anything in his mouth that would prevent him from revealing to Caroline what he had just divulged.

Caroline looked down at her linked fingers with a shattered look in her eyes.

"Caroline, love, please don't read too much into Stefan's visit with his ex. Considering what happened last night, and her current dilemma, I'm sure he's just trying to be a good friend."

Caroline slowly lifted her head. She stared at Enzo for a few seconds and then smiled. "Thanks for trying to cheer me up."

"It's what I do. I go around mending the broken hearts of the women Stefan and Damon leave behind," he joked and Caroline giggled.

::::::::::

A/N: To be continued…


	21. Chapter 21: Epiphany Part II

A/N: I hope you all enjoy part II. Please leave prompts. Much love! XOXOXOXO

**Oblivion Chapter 21: Epiphany Part II**

Stefan and Elena pulled up in front of the boarding house. Stefan had serious reservations about bringing Elena over, but she swore to him that she wouldn't cause him and the rest of the family any grief.

A part of him quaked in his boots because he knew the moment Damon saw Elena that he would go on the offensive, especially after what happened the night before.

Stefan didn't really believe that Elena would do right, but in his eyes, everyone deserved a second chance, even Elena –he believed.

Stefan carefully watched Elena as she stared at the house. For the first time, ever, he didn't see Elena as the love of his life. He saw her merely as a friend, a girl who was broken and that needed his help. Stefan wanted to feel that same old spark that he felt for her the first time he laid eyes on her, but all he could see now was the girl that loved his brother, the girl that kissed his brother in the middle of the road as she declared her undying and codependent love for him for the one millionth time.

Seeing that side of Elena made Stefan not see her as that delicate little flower that he once held so high upon a pedestal. A big part of him was really glad about it too because it made it that much easier for him to move on. He finally felt free of the turmoil that used to churn inside of him when he laid in bed all alone at night or when he went hunting in the forest all by himself. He was free from his own personal hell. He could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"I'm glad that you trust me to come over to apologize to Bonnie again. Talking to you last night really help me," Elena said in a raspy, low voice as she stared intently at Stefan.

"You're welcome, but don't let this moment of remorse be your last," he replied and then flashed her a polite grin.

Stefan's and Elena's moment was interrupted by a car pulling up in the driveway. A slender, toffee women, with tight curly hair climbed out of the vehicle. She wore dark, stone washed skinny jeans, and ankle boots and a long, loose fitted shirt and leather jacket. She walked leisurely to the front entrance with her large purse strapped over her shoulder. Her long legs quickly crossed the pavement as the light wind flippantly whipped through her hair.

Stefan's eyes widened at seeing the very beautiful woman visiting his home. He wondered who she was. It had been awhile since a woman had caught his attention in a romantic way.

Elena looked at Stefan, preparing herself to speak. She scowled once she saw the lustful look in Stefan's eyes as he watched the woman's backside as she climbed the steps to the front door.

"Um, um," she loudly cleared her throat.

"Yeah," Stefan answered mindlessly as his eyes darted over to Elena.

"Who was that, your girlfriend?" Elena teased.

"What, what?" Stefan giggled bashfully and blushed.

Elena immediately became angry and jealous.

"We better get inside. Wait here. I need to let Damon know you're here first."

"Okay," Elena answered and then nodded.

Stefan flashed inside of the house. He became extremely flustered at seeing Lucy, Caroline, and the mysterious woman all standing around in the living room talking.

"Ah Stefan, you're here," Lucy sang.

"Uh, yeah. I'm here," he answered in a quavering voice as he anxiously rubbed the back of his head. His eyes instantly drifted over to Caroline who wore a stoic facially expression. He then shyly glanced at the enigmatic women before turning his focus back to Lucy.

"Stefan, this is Eva Sinclair. She has the ascendant, so if you and Elena still want to do this today, we can," Lucy explained dispassionately, an annoyed look on her face.

"Try not to sound so enthusiastic," Stefan joked and they all laughed.

Eva quickly sobered after laughing at Stefan's witticism. "Hello Stefan, it's nice to meet you," Eva greeted in a British accent and then flashed him an adorable smile.

Stefan extended his hand in offering. He became even more attracted to her after hearing her speak. "Nice to meet you Eva," he said in a fruity voice. "So, will you be tagging along with us on this journey?"

"Actually, yes."

Caroline frowned. It didn't take her long to see that her very best friend found Eva appealing.

"Wow, great." Stefan beamed as he clapped his hands together.

"Don't you people have homes?" Damon announced as he entered the living room hand and hand with Bonnie and Melissa and Tyler on his heels.

"Damon, I need to see you outside. Right now," Stefan said urgently as he waved his brother over to him.

"I'll be right back," Damon said to Bonnie before kissing her on the cheek then followed after his brother.

Bonnie put her attention swiftly on Lucy and her friend. They instantaneously became involved in a conversation.

Damon and Stefan stepped outside onto the porch. Damon placed his hands on his hips and looked keenly at his brother. "What's up?"

"Uh, Elena wants to apologize to Bonnie –again, and she has a few things she would like to say to you too."

"Jesus Stefan, please tell me that you didn't bring her here?" Damon fretted and then looked at his brother's car to find Elena sitting in the front seat.

Elena sprung from the car and strolled up the steps, an apprehensive look in her whiskey eyes. "Damon, can we talk?"

Stefan looked at Elena and then at his brother.

"No Elena, we can't talk because there's nothing to talk about."

"No! You're going to listen to me. You had your say last night. Now I'm going to have mine."

Damon scowled at her. He really wanted to give Elena a piece of his mind, but he was in such a good mood because of Bonnie and the baby that he didn't have the energy to argue with her.

"Okay, talk. But whatever you have to say to me, you can say it…in front of my brother," he spat.

"Last night you basically told me that I didn't exist to you, and that's fine. I get it, you don't want me anymore, but after all that we've been through you didn't have to be so cruel to me. I love you Damon, and I forgave you when no one else would."

"Yeah, and you also tried to kill my wife and kid, so I think we're even."

"I know what I did was utterly horrible and sadistic, but you don't have the right to tell me to stay away from my friend, and to tell me to never come to your home again, the home where my best friend lives, was not okay."

Damon burst into a fit of laughter. "You're best friend? Well thank God Bonnie isn't your enemy, and I have every fucking right to tell you to stay away from my wife and my unborn child. You're a danger to them, and I will protect them at all cost." Damon yelled as he backed Elena up against the wall.

"Come on you guys," Stefan interjected in a pleading tone.

"Shut up!" Elena and Damon yelled at him in unison in strident voices.

Stefan widened his eyes in horror at their beet red faces and the merciless look in their eyes.

"Yes! I've been a terrible friend to Bonnie. I wasn't there for her when she needed me the most. I will never forgive myself for allowing a man to be my end all and be all for everything, but I won't let you keep me away from her and the baby!" She screamed passionately as she revved back up at him.

Damon watched her for a minute. He wasn't surprised by Elena's foolish persistence. It was one of the things that made them all so wrong for each other, but knowing what mayhem she was capable off, greatly concerned him.

"What do you want Elena? My friendship? Fine! You can have it…at a safe distance, but just stay the hell away from my family!"

"Ahhhh!" Elena screamed at the top of her lungs as she madly circled in place.

"I don't give a damn about how you feel or what you think, because I don't want to see you anymore. I don't want to hear your voice. I don't want to talk to you. I don't want to look at you, and I sure as hell don't want to be your friend," Elena said in a cold voice and then stormed inside the house.

Damon cocked a brow in thought. Her words sounded vaguely familiar.

Stefan sniggered as he rubbed his nose. His giggling caught Damon's attention. He slowly turned around to his tickled brother with his hands on his hips and a scowl on his face.

"It's really hot out here," Stefan said nervously and then cleared his throat.

"I elusively remember saying something very similar to that bitch. I believe it was in season five, episode eighteen," Damon annunciated the words in a taut voice. His body stiffened.

Stefan chuckled. "Wow, what a random comment, and your relationship with Elena was quite entertaining and not even good entertainment at that."

"Yeah, and the biggest joke of our act was how long we pretended to make that shit work," Damon said sarcastically in a more uplifting voice. He and Stefan looked at each other and burst into a fit of laughter.

(Inside)

Elena came marching in to the living room. All eyes in the house were now on her. Lucy took a defensive stance beside Bonnie and the others shrouded around her. Elena became uncomfortable with their disapproving gaze.

"Elena, what are you doing here?" Bonnie asked in a distrustful tone. She knew that Lucy and the others were going to be taking the trip with Elena, but Bonnie didn't imagine that her friend would have the gumption to show back up at the house after all that had happened.

"Bonnie, hey. Can I talk to you?"

"Whatever you have to say to her, you can say right here, because there's no way in hell I'm going to leave you along with my cousin," Lucy said in a tight voice.

Elena deeply swallowed and then looked around at all the contempt faces. She heard the front door close. She snatched her gaze to a livid Damon and an indifferent looking Stefan. She quickly put her focus back on Bonnie.

"You're right. The last thing Bonnie needs is to be alone with a sociopath," she paused and then deeply exhaled. "Listen Bonnie, I came by because I want to tell you again, how sorry I am."

"I know you're sorry. You told me last night. I forgive you Elena. It's okay, really."

"No Bonnie, it is not okay to try and kill your best friend, and I know that you forgive me, but I want to apologize to you, once more, while I have a clear head. The truth is Bonnie, when I woke up this morning, my life flashed before my eyes. I realized how I've taken you for granted over the years. I never thanked you for giving your life so that my brother could live again. You've done so much for me, and all I've ever done was ask you to do more. I treated you more like my flunky and not my friend. You didn't deserve that." Tears streamed down Elena's face.

Bonnie's eyes watered and her lips slightly quivered due to Elena's repentant declaration.

Just like Bonnie, Elena's terminal circumstance gave her an epiphany too. Elena's sincere contrite not only moved Bonnie to tears, it moved Caroline and Tyler too.

Damon's harden look began to soften as he stood in a defensive stance behind Elena with his arms folded over his front. Stefan looked at Elena with a proud facial expression.

"Bonnie," Caroline softly called as she closed the gap between her and Bonnie.

"I'm sorry too, I was wrong. I shouldn't have come down so hard on you. You're pregnant. I can't believe I did that to you," Caroline said in a soft spoken voice and began to cry.

"It's okay," Bonnie said in a shaky voice as she wrapped her arms around her friend.

"I'm sorry too Bonnie," Tyler said from behind.

Bonnie and Caroline laughed and then opened their arms to receive him. Elena looked at her three friends, hugging in front of her, ignoring her presence. Tyler finally looked up, seeing the distraught look on Elena's face. He couldn't help but think about her in this moment after what he had done to her, though no fault of his own.

"Get in here you," he said to Elena. She hurried right over to them and swung her arms over Tyler's and Bonnie's shoulders.

Everyone else in the room looked at them slightly smiling, all except Lucy and Damon who had their misgivings about Elena.

Caroline finally broke up the reunion as she had questions about the baby. "Bonnie, how did Damon manage to get you pregnant?" she asked as she rested her hand on Bonnie's belly.

Elena shifted nervously on her feet and turned her gaze elsewhere but Bonnie's pregnant stomach. Bonnie noticed her friend's awkward behavior which in turn made her uncomfortable.

"Maybe we can talk about that later?" Bonnie replied as she swept a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Well, what are you having?"

"A girl."

Elena's eyes began to water but she finally found the strength to look at Bonnie and her plump front.

"What are you going to name her?"

"Jesus Caroline," Tyler spat.

Caroline widened her eyes at him. She was annoyed by his outburst.

"This morning we decided on Lily Salvatore. Ah," Bonnie winced and then grabbed her belly.

Damon rushed to her side and swept her away from the others.

"Bonnie are you okay?" Tyler asked frenziedly as he followed quickly behind her and Damon.

Everyone in the room looked at Bonnie with alarmed and curious expression.

"Ugh, I think I'm okay," Bonnie replied with a raised brow as she rubbed her belly. Damon sat down beside her and they looked worriedly at each other.

"Bonnie what is it?" Lucy asked, concerned.

"I think my little girl has a problem with her name," Bonnie said, astounded.

Stefan laughed as if the idea of that happening was absurd. "That's ridiculous," he said excitedly.

Lucy sat down on the coffee table in front of Bonnie. "Talk to your little girl. Tell her, her name."

Bonnie looked at Damon and he nodded.

Everyone looked at them suspiciously, bracing themselves for what was to come.

"Hi baby. Daddy and I have a name for you. It's Lily Amelia Salvatore." Immediately Bonnie felt pain, and incidentally, she felt something else, the ground gently quake beneath her feet.

"Do you feel that?" Caroline questioned agitatedly as she looked down at the ground.

Elena braced herself and looked worriedly down at the floor as she felt the surface tremor beneath her feet.

Out of nowhere, Tyler began to howl as his eyes went bright yellow, encircled with a black ring. He grabbed his heaving chest. He was embarrassed and uncomfortable with not having control of his own body.

"Okay now what the fuck was that?" Enzo was becoming disturbed.

"Oh my god, that's your baby," Eva said in a fearful voice. "You're a witch, and he's a vampire. This is sacrilege."

Bonnie and Damon flashed Eva a heated look. Everyone else ignored her warning.

"Okay Bonnie, do it again, but this time think of a different name," Lucy suggested.

"But I don't know. I don't know what she likes," Bonnie answered in a wobbly voice. She was highly emotional.

"It's okay Bonnie," Damon said sweetly. "What were some of the other names we chose?" he asked.

"Natasha," Bonnie whispered as she looked out into the room with a dazed look in her eyes. The moment the name rolled off of her tongue, the candles and the fireplace in the room went aflame and the radio began to blast Happy by Pharrell.

"Now what the fuck! How does an unborn kid know about Pharrell?" Enzo pointed his finger strongly at the radio.

"This isn't right. That baby is a demon!" Eva shouted dreadfully.

"My niece is not a demon!" Stefan snapped.

Eva looked at Stefan with a remorseful gaze. Stefan's heated gaze began to soften as he stared into her amber eyes. Her fearful expression made her even more attractive to him.

"I'm sorry," Stefan said.

"It's okay." Eva nodded and slightly grinned.

"She likes Natasha but not Lily? What the hell?" Damon whispered, ignoring the naysayers in the room.

"Oh my God. I can't believe your child is communicating with you this way." Lucy beamed.

"But Lucy, don't you think this is a little violent?" Elena added.

"According to whom?" Lucy rolled her eyes at Elena.

"But Elena and Eva could be right, don't you think? What…what…what if my baby is…is," Bonnie trailed off. She couldn't even form her lips to call her baby anything but the child of God.

"Bonnie, our little girl isn't evil. She's just trying to get our attention. She's in the womb for God sakes. It's not like she can walk up to us, and say, _Mom, dad, I don't like my name_," Damon mimicked.

Bonnie smiled and quickly nodded. "You're right. You're right." She began to feel better.

"I don't know mate. Your baby is doing some weird shit," Enzo said worriedly.

"Look what she made Tyler do to me?"

"Elena this isn't about you," Stefan coldly spat.

Damon looked around the room at all the judgmental eyes staring at him and Bonnie. He began to feel enraged and defensive of his little family.

"The parties fucking over. Stefan grab your girlfriends and take the show to ninety four," Damon said in a distant voice as he sprung angrily from the sofa.

"Damon," Bonnie said in warning.

Damon turned his guilt-ridden face to Bonnie.

"It's okay Bonnie," Stefan said, not sparing his brother a glance.

"Apologize to your brother, now." She demanded.

Damon was used to Bonnie reading him the riot-act, but he wasn't use to her chastising him like a child.

He stared at a glowering Bonnie for a few seconds, realizing his remark to his brother was wrong.

"I'm sorry Stefan. I was out of line."

Stefan ignored Damon.

"Ladies, you ready to go?"

"You mind if I tag along too mate?" Enzo found his voice.

"Sure, the more the merrier." Stefan wanted to jump up and down for joy. He was pleased at the fact that he wouldn't be all alone with three women that he had been romantic with in some form or another.

Everyone gathered up their things and filed out of the house. Lucy, Elena and Caroline said goodbye to Bonnie and Tyler, then went to their vehicles.

Tyler and Melissa looked oddly between Bonnie, Damon and Stefan. They could sense the tension between them. They took this as their queue to exit the room. They left unnoticed by the others.

"Stefan, please don't leave here angry with your brother. You're taking a trip to God knows where, and who knows what can happen," she explained in a pleading tone.

Stefan let out an agitated chuckle, rubbed his forehead, and then crossed his arms.

Damon flashed his brother a regretful look and Stefan noticed.

"I'm not angry with you Damon, especially not over your dumb ass comment. I understand where your frustration came from."

"But I embarrassed you. That was wrong of me."

"You're always embarrassing me," Stefan mocked and they all laughed.

"Lucy told me you all are going back in time by way of Nova Scotia," Bonnie said.

"Yeah, we're going to Nova Scotia first and then we're travelling back to ninety four. Can that even be done?" Stefan questioned skeptically and then let out a low chortle.

"I can't believe Lucy got all of this together in such a short amount of time," Bonnie added.

"Yeah, your cousin is pretty remarkable." Stefan smiled. "She charted a plane and got the ascendant all while we were sleeping."

"Yup, and you're going to be all alone with her, Caroline…and Elena." Damon flashed Stefan a smug look.

"You're an ass. You know that?" Stefan announced.

"I know." Damon winked.

"Well, I better get out of here. Bonnie," Stefan said as he walked over to her. He wrapped his strong arms around her and took her into a warm embrace.

"Now…while I'm away, I don't want you two stressing out about the baby. I mean…Natasha." Stefan said as he caringly rubbed Bonnie's plump belly.

Bonnie looked over at Damon and laughed.

"My niece is going to be an extraordinary, beautiful, and loving little girl. You'll see."

"Awww, you're going to make me cry." Bonnie's eyes immediately watered due to Stefan's words.

"Damon," Stefan looked at his brother before wrapping his arms around him, too. He pressed Damon tightly to him as he closed his eyes.

Damon cradled his brother's head into him as he closed his eyes, too, and squeezed him tightly.

"Be careful out there," Damon said after pulling away from his brother.

"I will," Stefan replied as he gently released his brother from his grasp.

Bonnie and Damon walked Stefan outside. They watched as everyone sped out of the driveway one by one. They stood at the front entrance until the others had disappeared from their sights.

"God, I'm so glad they're gone," Damon said coolly.

"Your brother is with them Damon."

"I'm not talking about him and Lucy of course, and why in the hell didn't they take Melissa with them?"

"Ugh," Bonnie grunted and marched back inside the house.

Damon stared out at the desolate road for a few seconds more. "Be careful little brother," he whispered.

Damon finally decided to join the others back inside. He strolled down the foyer not a care in the world. He entered the living room to find Bonnie cleaning up whilst Melissa and Tyler sat on the couch sulking.

"Bonnie, you don't have to do that. Let me and your watch dog take care of the house," Damon joked.

"Damon." Bonnie glared at him in warning.

"It's alright Bonnie. He's trying to get a rise out of me," Tyler replied emotionlessly. "Come on blood sucker. Let's get this done." He sprang from the couch and marched passed Damon.

Damon looked at him with a squinted and concerned gaze as Tyler passed him.

"Tyler, wait. Damon, Bonnie, can I have a moment alone with him." Melissa rushed out as she got to her feet.

Tyler slowly turned around to her. Bonnie and Damon left the room for the kitchen, but instead of cleaning up, they decided to eavesdrop on the couple's conversation as an alternative.

"Talk to me Tyler, please. I know our relationship is in its early stages, but if we ever hope to be more to each other than we are now, we need to learn to be here for each other."

Tyler sighed as he walked over to the fireplace. He leaned against it and looked intensely at Melissa.

His eyes wandered over her latté face, her voluptuous, golden, shimmering lips. He smiled adorably at her floral print dress that showcased her toned legs and her lace up boots.

He couldn't help but think of what a beautiful woman Melissa was standing there before him.

Tyler's focus switched from gawking over Melissa to the topic at hand. "I should be the one helping Elena to get the cure. I am the one that attacked her. I put her in this predicament. But instead of helping her, I'm here playing guard dog against my will." Tyler's voice grew and the anger swelled up inside of him as he spoke to Melissa about how he felt.

Melissa looked somberly down at the floor. She felt bad for Tyler, but she also saw the good in his dilemma too. She moseyed over to him and stood directly in front of Tyler and flashed him a cutesy grin.

"Don't listen to Damon, okay? You are not a guard dog. Natasha and her family need you, and though you aren't free to do the things that you enjoy doing right now…it won't always be this way. Try to see the positive in this. Bonnie is your friend. She's the protector of this town. You love this town, right? And you love your friend also." She paused. "Something tells me that if you weren't linked to Natasha, you would still protect Bonnie. Am I right?"

"Yes, I would protect Bonnie and her baby, but I don't care about Damon. It disgust me knowing that I have to protect that murderous bastard," Tyler fussed.

Damon grew sad after hearing what Tyler thought about him. He began to realize how important it was for him to do better by Bonnie's friends.

"Damon, what's wrong? What are they talking about?" Bonnie asked as she stood beside him with her ear pressed to the door.

"It's nothing," Damon answered with a narrow and serious gaze as he continued to click his jaw.

"Tyler," Melissa called in a fruity voice.

"I mean it Melissa. It really sucks being stuck in this house. I can't even take you out on dates. How will our relationship progress to the next level if I can't properly court you?"

Melissa giggled. "The next level as in you sleeping in my bed, not on the couch, and finally hitting a home room with me?" She wrapped her hands around Tyler's neck and gazed at him with her alluring and lustful eyes.

Tyler deeply swallowed. Melissa placed a chaste kiss on his lips and let her mouth linger against his.

"Mmm, that was nice," Tyler said in a smoky voice as he threaded his strong fingers through Melissa's long, light brown hair. He gazed at her heart shaped face and admired her perfect cheek bones, slanted eyes and flawless plump lips.

"See, being cooped up in this house doesn't mean you can't have fun."

"Yeah, maybe you're right."

"I'm always right. You haven't figured that out by now?"

"I'm slowly getting there," he replied and then softly chuckled.

"Come on. Let's go outside," she suggested.

"No! I can't. Natasha might kill me!"

"Yes! You can!" she shouted back.

"What's going on? It sounds like they're arguing," Bonnie whispered from behind the kitchen door.

"Melissa wants Tyler to go outside but he's afraid."

"That's crazy. He was over at Elena's last night," Bonnie said incredulously.

"He thinks Natasha will fire him and hire someone new," Damon mocked and then shrugged and rolled his eyes.

"Don't make me spell you out of this house." Melissa grabbed Tyler's hand and dragged him to the sliding doors. She stepped over the threshold and looked back inside at a frightened Tyler.

"Stop acting like a wuss Tyler. Natasha is just a baby. Hell she's not even born," Melissa stated dubiously.

"That's easy for you to say Melissa. She's not using you as a weapon of mass destruction."

Melissa glowered at Tyler and before he knew it, he was being removed from the house by magic.

Melissa floated Tyler out onto the patio and gently placed him down on his feet. Tyler's eyes were tightly shut as he braced himself for the worse. Melissa stood alongside him, grinning from ear to ear at a terrified Tyler.

As Tyler stood there, feeling nothing but the heat of the sun on his skin and hearing nothing but the birds chirping in the wind, his fear began to fade away. He slowly peeled his eyes open. He turned his gaze to Melissa who was tickled. Tyler grabbed her hand and interlocked their fingers.

"I feel like an idiot," he said.

"You should," she replied.

"I can't believe you're afraid of an unborn baby," Damon said in a disembodied voice.

Tyler turned to his left, seeing a sneering Damon standing beside him with his hands on his hips, looking out at the beautiful scenery in his backyard.

"Doesn't your wife need help cleaning the house?" Tyler asked sarcastically.

"Don't be silly Tyler. You and Damon are going to clean up that mess," Bonnie answered.

Tyler's eyes quickly darted over to Bonnie who was standing beside Melissa with her arms folded over her front, smiling as she looked out at the view of the backyard too.

"I was…having a good time," Tyler nagged.

"Aw, poor thing." Melissa giggled and kissed him on the cheek.

"I need to clean up the kitchen. I'll see you in a little bit," Tyler kissed Melissa's pouty, red lips and then left her outside with the others.

"Tyler you don't have to leave," Damon called to him in a pleading voice, but Tyler ignored him as he closed the door behind him.

"I'll go after him," Melissa offered.

"No, let me." Damon strolled passed Melissa and swiftly entered the house. He was soon in the kitchen. He carefully watched Tyler as he cleared the table and scraped the leftover food in to the garbage can.

Damon jumped in and helped Tyler, but he still ignored his presence. Damon saw Tyler walk towards the dishwasher with a hand full of dirty dishes. He flashed over to it, hurriedly opened it, and held out his hand to relieve Tyler of the soiled plates.

Tyler turned up his nose with disdain at Damon's offer, but ultimately, he gave in.

"Thank you," Damon said as he gently took the plates from his grasp. Tyler rolled his eyes at him.

Their awkward working conditions went on for several minutes before Damon decided to let go of his pride and do what he had intended to do the moment Tyler saved his life.

"I never thanked you Tyler for saving my life. Thank you." Damon stared at Tyler with a rueful expression.

Tyler stopped what he was doing. His body relaxed. He softened his appearance.

"Thank your daughter. I had nothing to do with it," he answered unfeelingly as he wiped off the table.

Damon slammed the cabinet door and glared at Tyler. "I'm not talking to her Tyler. I'm talking to you."

Tyler shirked of Damon's angry outburst and went back to work. This immensely upset Damon. "You're an asshole."

"I'm an asshole?" Tyler shot back and then chuckled at Damon's absurd remark.

"Yeah, you. I'm trying to be the good guy here and you're being an ass."

"Here's a tip Damon, just because you decide to be the nice guy on one occasion, it doesn't mean the other person is going to immediately accept you all at once, so fuck off."

"Ok, fair enough." Damon grabbed dishes and slanged them into the dishwasher.

Tyler became amused by Damon's sour attitude. He chuckled which caught Damon's attention.

"What the fuck are you laughing at?"

"You're cute when you're angry."

"Kiss my ass," Damon shot back.

Tyler and Damon looked heatedly at each other for a minute before Tyler interrupted their silence.

"You're welcome."

Damon widened his eyes in astonishment. "What?" he asked with a raised brow.

"I said you're welcome, damn."

Damon grinned once he realized that Tyler had accepted his gratitude. "Look, I know you don't like what my daughter is doing to you, but please don't be angry. If the shoe were on the other foot, I'd be honored to be your daughter's protector."

Tyler widened his eyes dubiously at Damon's comment. "No you wouldn't," he spat.

Damon bulged his eyes knowingly at Tyler's remark and then burst into a fit of laughter. "No I wouldn't. You are so right," he said, still tickled.

Tyler couldn't help but laugh too. They began loading the dishwasher again, minus the tension they once felt before.

"So, we're good?"

"Give it some time bro, we'll get there." Tyler smirked, and Damon nodded in approval.

( ~ )

Three hours later, Bonnie found herself sifting through her new maternity clothes, her infant's clothes and some other odds and in's they bought for the baby.

Melissa and Bonnie flattered over Natasha's cute little frilly dresses, shirts, and pants. Tyler and Damon prattled over the baby toys.

Bonnie could hardly share her enthusiasm over the little cute baby clothes, blankets, booties, and bibs because of Damon's and Tyler's loud raucous over the infant seat, jumper, and the high tech baby stroller. Damon made sure he bought the very best that his money could buy for his little girl, his miracle child.

"Dude, this baby seat looks like a space ship! You can control this thing with Bluetooth?! Tyler bellowed.

"This infant seat does everything! It performs the same movements as a parent comforting its child. You can select motions, like car riding and tree swinging at five different speeds! It has a damn MP3 player!" Damon shot.

"Whoa! I'm getting my baby one of these!" Tyler replied eagerly.

"Dude! Don't be silly. You can have this one." Damon squinted his eyes at Tyler as if he were being ridiculous.

Melissa and Bonnie looked at each other and laughed at the guys.

"Bonnie when are you due? Looks like you're going to have that baby any day now. You're huge!"

"I am not huge. I saw pictures online of other women in their last month and they looked twice as big as me," Bonnie sassily shot back.

Melissa let out an embellished laugh. "Not every woman carries their child the same, and you can't just go online and say, _Oh, I'm not this big so I still have time_, duh."

"Ugh, whatever." Bonnie rolled her eyes.

"Damon you want a drink?" Tyler asked as he went to the bar.

"No, I'm good," he answered.

As Tyler poured himself a drink he noticed the little red pouch with the enchanted potion that Elena used to give her visions of Damon. He picked it up and then peeped inside. He sniffed the inside of the bag and narrowed his eyes curiously at the unscented powder. "What is this?" he asked as he held the small sack up for the other's to see.

They all looked at the pouch. Damon squinted his eyes knowingly at the bag. It instantly brought back terrible memories from the night before. "That…belonged to Elena." He paused and everyone looked curiously at him.

"While we were arguing, she ran over to a vase and grabbed that shit. She said something about it making me love her again," he said uneasily as he shifted anxiously on his feet.

"What is it? Some kind of love potion," Melissa wondered.

Tyler hurried the contents over to her. Melissa looked inside at the dust, hoping she could recognize what it was. Bonnie then politely grabbed the bag. She poured some of the contents out into her hand. She smelled it and then she tried to taste it. Damon zoomed right over to her and speedily covered her hand.

"What the hell are you doing?" he asked, astonished.

"I'm trying to see what it is."

"Well don't consume it," Tyler bit.

Melissa looked blankly between the three of them.

"If you want to know what it is…I'll taste it and tell you." Damon widened his eyes, annoyed with Bonnie.

"Don't eat it. Mix it with a beverage, dilute it," Melissa suggested.

"Why does anyone need to take it? We saw what a nut case it made Elena. We already know what _it_ can do," Tyler protested.

"I agree," Bonnie added.

"I want to know what it is," Melissa said and then deviously leered.

"Me too." Damon waggled his eyes and then smirked.

"It would be the two of you who wants to play Russian roulette." Tyler rolled his eyes at Melissa and Damon.

Damon flashed over to the bar. He poured himself a glass of bourbon. The amber liquid quickly filled the crystal glass. He poured in a little of the enchanted, white, shiny powder. It caused a temporary reaction as the liquid crackled and popped in the glass once it made contact with the liquor. Damon swished the contents around, mixing it all together.

"Bottoms up," he said and then quickly gulped down his liquor. "Whew!" he shouted as he wrinkled his nose, twisted his lips and made animated faces at the taste of the beverage.

"Well?" Tyler asked.

"I feel nothing," Damon replied. "Uhhh, maybe I do." Damon grabbed the bridge of his nose and stumbled against the bar.

"Damon!" Bonnie yelled and rushed over to him with Tyler and Melissa on her heels.

"Whoa their buddy." Tyler lifted Damon's arm over his head and dragged him to the sofa.

Bonnie popped down beside him and rubbed his face with her small hand as she carefully observed him.

Whilst the others sat around watching and listening to Damon zone out and lowly moan with pleasure, Damon's mind had been taking off to some dream world with pink, cotton candy trees, chocolate streets and liquorish green grass. He circled in place, taking in the fantasy world with an astonished look in his silvery, blue eyes.

"What is this place?" he whispered as the sunlight reflected off his milky skin and his shiny, raven hair.

Damon went motionless once seeing a little pale-golden barefoot girl in a beautiful, white, flowing dress, running towards him. Her long, chestnut, loose curled hair bounced wildly from side to side as her arms moved erratically about.

The child finally reached Damon. She wrapped her arms around his legs and squeezed him tightly to her.

"Hey. Hey there little girl," Damon said hesitantly not knowing what else to say as he widened his eyes curiously at the child. He squatted down and took her by the shoulders. He took in her cherubic face, button nose and her silvery, blue eyes. There was something so familiar about this little girl.

"Who…who are you?" he stammered for the words.

"I'm Natasha. I'm your little girl." She smiled.

"But how?" Damon said in a low, husky, winded voice. He beamed with excitement.

"You wanted to meet me. The potion made it possible," she answered in a fruity voice.

"Oh my God," he whispered in a guttural voice as he wrapped his arms around her and pressed her firmly to him.

"May I ask you a question?" Damon asked.

"Sure."

"Why the name Natasha? Why don't you like my mother's name?" Damon asked disappointedly.

"Ahh, I knew this would upset you. I want my own identity daddy, and I want the name my mommy picked for me. She wrote that name down first. I know she loves it, and to be honest, I don't like your mother. She's bad."

Damon laughed as if his daughter were being ridiculous.

"My mother's a good person."

"She abandoned you," Natasha answered in a serious and assured voice.

"What?" Damon questioned in a winded unbelieving tone and let out a short chuckle.

Father and daughter stood in the middle of the chocolate road, staring at each other.

"You want to play?" Natasha asked and then flashed her father a dazzling smile.

"I know that smile," he whispered, then grinned as he softly caressed her cheek. "Hell yeah. Let's play." Damon quickly forgot about what his daughter said about his mother and put his focus back on playing with her.

Before Damon knew it, he and Natasha were riding around the middle of the road on tricycles, stuffing themselves with chocolate cake with mounds of frosting. They laughed and giggled as they raced around each other, frosting all over their faces. Damon didn't care how he was too big for his tricycle and how his knees kept hitting the handle bars, all he cared about was being with his daughter, dream world or not.

Damon and Natasha continued to leapfrog from one place to another. They were now diving into a bed of feathers. Damon would dive first, then he'd wait all bright-eyed for Natasha. She'd stiffenen her little body, bracing for impact. She'd scream the whole way down and Damon would watch her with a surprise look on his face as she came falling down, her long chestnut hair quickly followed. They jumped over and over again and they'd laugh and scream all the while.

If no humamity Damon saw himself dressed in all black, looking like stranger danger guy with an angelic, long haired, pale-golden little girl bouncing on a bed of feathers, he'd be disappointed with his domesticated self.

Damon had no idea that everything he did in his fantasy, his body was playing out in real time in the boarding house living room.

"Tyler get him! He's going crazy!" Melissa yelled at the top of her lungs as Damon kept diving off the couch and down into the imaginary pool of feathers.

"Damon, snap out of this!" Bonnie yelled.

"I got him! I got him!" Tyler yelled as he grabbed Damon up into a bear hug. He dragged him upstairs, leaving Melissa and Bonnie downstairs.

"Look at this mess," Melissa nagged.

"See, this is why I don't do drugs," Bonnie answered and then giggled. "God, I hope he will be okay." She quickly became more serious.

"He will be fine. He's dreaming about your little girl," Melissa replied as she gathered the baby things from up off the floor and placed them back into a bag.

"So I guess the potion allows one to see the people that they've lost or long to see. I can see my grams again," Bonnie said hypnotically as she folded up her child's white and purple polka dotted dress.

"Girl, don't you even think about it," Melissa reprimanded.

They laughed.

"Unf, I wonder who's at the door?" Bonnie questioned and no soon as the words slipped from her lips, dream world Natasha went on alert.

"You want me to get it?" Melissa offered.

"No. I got it. I'm closer," Bonnie answered.

"He's coming! He's coming!" Fantasy Natasha screamed.

"What?" Damon said.

"Shing!" Natasha yelled. "You have to wake up daddy! You have to wake up!" Natasha grabbed her father by the shoulders and violently shook him.

Tyler's eyes went yellow as he watched Damon's body violently convulse in his arms. He lowly growled and dropped Damon to the floor and ran downstairs. Bonnie sashayed to the front door, a smile on her face, happily waving her little girl's dress about as she went. She was happy.

Bonnie opened the door, to see a gigantic Shing standing there looking down on her.

"Hello Bonnie," he called to her in a sinister, baritone voice and then evilly sneered.

"No. No," Bonnie whispered as she backed away from the door. Her jaw dropped. Her eyes widened and watered. She began to sweat profusely as her body trembled in fear.

"Bonnie! Get away from the door!" Tyler descended the stairs screaming.

"Get back…boy," Shing said in his mystical deep voice as he threw up a hand sending Tyler flying back to through the house.

Shing reached through the threshold and tried to grab Bonnie by the throat. "Modus!" Bonnie yelled, sending Shing colliding into the pavement in the driveway.

"Bonnie!" Melissa squealed. She quickly came, stood beside her and grabbed her hand. "We need to do a blocking spell!" she yelled and Bonnie nodded.

They began to chant their magical mantra. Shing jumped up and jogged towards the house. His massive feet seem to shake the ground as he went. Bonnie and Melissa finished the blocking spell just in time. Shing bounced off the invisible barrier with a tremendous amount of force which sent him crashing back into the concrete once more.

He quickly got to his feet and screamed in frustration. He then began to chant as he walked slowly toward the house. His spell made flames ascend upon them.

"The living room's on fire!" Tyler yelled. He grabbed the fire extinguisher and swiftly went to work.

Bonnie and Melissa chanted against his spell, successfully stopping the house from being engulfed in flames. Suddenly a wave of pain hit Bonnie. "Ahhh!" she doubled over in pain as Natasha began to go to work inside of her.

Shing kept loudly chanting and Melissa recited too, against his spell but her powers were no match for Shing alone.

The invisible wall began to burn away. Melissa began to panic at the speckled spots of singe as the barrier burned away.

Shing tried once more to reach for Bonnie. Damon finally decided to join the party and so did Natasha who now had control over her mother.

Bonnie quickly stood erect, her now…silvery, blue eyes immediately met Shing's evil gaze.

Bonnie threw up a hand and coldly said. "De quo egressus sum te vincere. I vanquish you back from which you came."

Shing's blood began to heat. He screamed, and at the blink of an eye he went flying through midair, breaking tree limbs as his body soared back to which it came, a house that he and Luna had commandeered from an innocent bystander.

"Shing!" Luna yelled after the wizard hurtled down through the roof and violently crashed to the ground. He screamed and viciously wiggled on the floor as his skin blistered and heated.

"Get over here you!" Luna yelled to the vampire that she and Shing had hexed to be their own personal slave and healer.

The tall, blonde male ran over and healed Shing.

_**(BACK AT THE BOARDING HOUSE)**_

"Bonnie!" Damon yelled.

Natasha instantly released her mom. Bonnie went drifting down to the floor but Damon caught her.

"Are you okay?" Damon asked winded.

"I'm o…" Bonnie trailed off and began to violently wiggle in Damon's arms as Natasha began to grow rapidly inside her mother's womb.

Tyler ran up. He and Melissa surrounded Bonnie and Damon.

Bonnie cried out in pain and snugly gripped her stomach. The growth spurt went on for thirty minutes. It had never lasted that long before. The pain had finally subsided. They waited for several minutes for Bonnie to catch her breathe before helping her to her feet.

"You feel okay to go to the living room?" Damon asked.

They all slowly walked to the living room when Bonnie's water broke.

"Oh my god!" Melissa shouted.

"Ahhh!" Bonnie cried out in pain.

Damon picked her up bridal style and flashed her to the bedroom.

"Don't put me on the bed! Don't put me on the bed!" Bonnie yelled.

"You're about to have the baby and you're worried about the damn blankets?" Damon rushed out.

"I'll go get some towels and hot water!" Tyler shouted.

Damon laid Bonnie down on the carpet near the bed and gently stuffed a pillow under her head. He then reached his hands up her dress, yanked off her panties and spread her legs. He widened his eyes in horror at what he saw.

"What do you see? What do you see?" Bonnie chanted breathlessly as she grabbed Damon's arm and looked down at him. He looked at her with a concerned look in his eyes.

"Oh my God, it's a head!" Melissa screamed and grabbed her chest in alarm.

"…and that's what I see," Damon added and then rolled his eyes at Melissa's remark.

"Oh my god is that a head hanging out of her shit?" Tyler shouted after entering the room.

"Are you even fucking human? Women have babies!" Damon shouted with a vamped up face.

Bonnie yelled out as another contraction hit her. "It feels like my spine is trying to come out of my ass. Somebody make it stop. Please!"

"What do I do?! What do I do?!" Damon shouted, confused.

"Take her to the hospital!" Tyler shrieked.

"There's no time. Please oh God!" Bonnie began to cry through the extreme discomfort as beads of sweat covered her brow and poured down her neck.

"Just breathe baby. Just breathe. It's okay," Damon said in a soothing tone.

"I've never felt pain like this! I want to die!" Bonnie screamed at the top of her lungs as her spine twisted, stretched, and seared inside of her.

"No, don't say that Bon Bon," he said sweetly as leaned into her and swept loose strands of hair away from her moistened brow. "Somebody google how to deliver a god damn baby!" Damon screamed after he sprang to his feet and angrily pumped his fist. He went from being an affectionate husband to an enraged vampire at the drop of a hat.

Melissa let her fingers move quickly over her phone. "I got it! I got it! Eight steps on how to deliver a baby! When you see the head start to emerge, don't pull on the baby. Slow and steady is what you're going for here. Cup the baby's head with your hands and support it as it comes out. The baby will turn as it is delivered," Melissa read. "Tyler did you get the towels and hot water?"

"Yes."

"Melissa get over here and hold Bonnie's hand! Help her push!" Damon screeched.

"It's okay Bonnie," Melissa frantically said after she ran over to Bonnie, kneeled down over her and took her hand into hers.

Damon spread Bonnie's legs, getting a good look at the child crowning. He first washed his hands in the hot water that Tyler brought up and then dried them. He cupped his child's head carefully with his trembling hand. He was nervous and slightly afraid as beads of sweat formed on his brow. "I'm so scared," he whispered.

"You got this man," Tyler said.

Damon guided his little girl out of her mother. "Push for me baby," he said to Bonnie.

"Oh God, I can't. I can't. It hurts so badly," Bonnie cried through the words.

"Are you kidding me? You just kicked Shing's ass back to hell. You can do this Bon Bon." Damon dazed dreamily at Bonnie. She was beautiful and so fragile in this moment as she struggled with giving birth to their child. Damon hated seeing her in pain, especially knowing that she was giving him the greatest gift known to man, a child, the fruit of his loin.

Bonnie tightly gripped Melissa's hand. Melissa helped her push. The baby shot out of Bonnie and Damon caught her at vampire speed.

"She's here Bonnie! She's here!" Damon let out a euphoric and embellished laugh.

Tyler hurriedly handed Damon a large dry towel and a moist wet one. Melissa read the directions on how to clean the baby.

"Is she healthy? Is she okay?" Bonnie asked in strangled voice.

"She's beautiful Bonnie," Damon said in a husky voice as looked down on his goo and blood covered little girl.

He cleared his daughter's passage way. She immediately let out a loud cry as her lungs filled with air.

"Oh my God, she sounds so beautiful," Bonnie cried.

Tyler and Melissa lifted her to a seated positon and propped Bonnie up against the bed and padded her back with a pillow.

Damon carefully wiped his newborn's face of the blood and white goo and wrapped her snuggly in the towel. He felt intoxicated with the pale-golden girl in his arms as he grinned from ear to ear. "Hey, little one. I delivered you. You want to see your mommy," he whispered to his little girl, kissed her nose, and then handed her over to Bonnie.

"Oh my God! My baby." Bonnie cried tears of joy.

"She's beautiful Bonnie," Melissa said as she caressed Natasha's forehead. Tyler drifted dazedly into them. He looked at the baby with wide, glistening, amber eyes. He trembled inside from nervousness.

"Bonnie," Damon called. She looked at him and Damon gestured to Tyler. Bonnie immediately understood what he was trying to communicate.

"Tyler, do you want to hold her?" Bonnie asked.

Tyler quickly nodded.

Bonnie placed Natasha gently in his strong arms. A tear streamed down his cheek. "She is so beautiful Bonnie. You are worth protecting. You are so worth it." Tyler sniveled and then lightly giggled.

"Awww," Bonnie and Damon cooed in unison and then softly chuckled.

Seeing Shing had completely devastated them all, but seeing their child, a child that Damon never imagined he would have, made them forget all about the bane of their existence.

:::::

A/N: no bad stuff in the next chapter, just couple building and mommy and daddy time… awww.


	22. Chapter 22: Fluff and Stuff

A/N: Lots of kissing in this chapter, well part II of it anyway. I really hope you all like it. :/ I promise I'd give you all some fluff and stuff… LOL! There's only one dark moment in the next chapter and it won't affect the group until later on. I was going to upload both chapters tonight, but it's late, and I'm tired… LOL!

Much Love! Thank you for supporting me! I will upload Part II tomorrow. There are scenes for ALL the couples that I want to explore in this story… LOL! I'm really happy with it. I can't wait to share it with all of you.

…and about PM'ing me about any errors, just put them in the reviews under guest review. I can just copy and paste your suggestions and use them as a future reference and I can delete the comment from the story. LOL! I apologize for stressing you all out over something so minor.

**Oblivion Chapter 22: Fluff and Stuff Part I**

Bonnie and Damon smiled fondly at Tyler as he held Natasha in his gentle embrace. Bonnie could not hold back her tears of joy at seeing her little girl alive and well in Tyler's arms. She pressed her hand against her chest, amazed by her perfect little bundle of joy that she had brought into the world.

She carefully inspected her daughter's tiny head and tenderly caressed her petite toes with her thumb and finger. Bonnie thought her heart was going to beat right out of her chest from the overwhelming joy she felt over her own flesh and blood.

Damon too was filled with euphoric emotions. He had a child of he's own. His blood actually inhabited another living being. Out of all his decades of existing, he never imagined that he'd be in this place, that he'd be a father, and a husband. These things where unthinkable to him.

Damon looked at Bonnie. He nervously swallowed the lump in his throat. She was so beautiful to him with her moistened brow, her hair a wild and whimsical mess all over her head. He then looked at his little girl who seem to be gnawing on her tightly fisted hand. She was cooing and making the most adorable noises.

Damon quivered inside at the sweet sounds that emanated from the fragile little creature. Bonnie's eyes finally met Damon's. She giggled and then flashed him a dazzling smile. He gleamed once locking eyes with hers.

Tyler handed Natasha back to her mother and Damon watched intently as they made the exchange.

"Giving you back this little ray of sunshine may be the hardest thing I've ever done," Tyler said.

"Aww," Bonnie gushed.

"She is so beautiful Bonnie," Melissa added. "Here, let me get a picture of you and the baby. You will be so angry with yourself if you don't capture the first time. Well, the second time you held your daughter after birth," Melissa said and then laughed.

"Great idea Melissa!" Bonnie said happily.

"This is definitely a picture perfect moment. Natasha is still all slimy. Your hair is all messy," Tyler teased.

"Is it really?" Bonnie questioned disappointedly.

"You're beautiful Bonnie. Don't listen to him. Tyler shut up," Melissa reprimanded.

Melissa hurriedly took a picture. Damon stared at them all the while with a big goofy grin on his face. He was without words as he took in the surreal moment.

Natasha began to cry as she aggressively gnawed on her fist.

"Is she hungry already?" Melissa inquired with an amazed look in her eyes.

"Look at Bonnie. She's a toothpick. She probably starved the poor baby," Tyler joked.

"I ate plenty while I was pregnant with her. Thank you very much," Bonnie said sassily.

Damon's dreamy-eyed look disappeared. He was internally brought back to life by Melissa's statement and the scent of Bonnie's blood which flooded his senses.

Being the practical person Damon was, he knew he couldn't gawk at Bonnie and his newborn all night. He had to take them to the hospital to make sure they were okay. He knew there was more to a woman giving birth than just pushing out a baby.

"Bonnie we have to get you to the hospital."

Bonnie flashed Damon a bemused look. She then widened and narrowed her eyes at him as if a lightbulb had come on inside her head. "Oh, yeah," she replied.

"I'll get the car and make sure everything is safe," Tyler announced and then ran out of the room.

"Melissa take Natasha. Bonnie let's get you cleaned up," Damon suggested.

He helped a fragile Bonnie to stand. She timidly swayed on her feet and then let out a giggle. Giving birth had taking more out of her than she had anticipated.

"Easy," Damon said lowly as he gripped her firmly by the shoulders. He walked her slowly to the bathroom.

Bonnie looked up at Damon's angelic face as if he hung the moon and the stars. Every now and again Bonnie had moments where she would look at Damon as if he were a dream and not really real at all.

Damon loved Bonnie with a fierce passion and dynamism that Bonnie had never known before.

"I gave you a little girl," she said in a trance like voice as she stared at him with a dreamy-eyed gaze.

Damon looked at her with a puzzling expression. He was confused by her adoration of him. He had never been shown such affection before by anyone, not even from his last two great loves. Damon shyly smiled and then bashfully chuckled once he accepted that someone could think so highly of him, and him only.

"That you did, and she's the most beautiful girl in the world." Damon beamed at Bonnie with an equally admired look as they entered the bathroom.

Damon carefully walked Bonnie to the toilet and directed her down off her feet. He instantly went from a bashful Damon to a serious and down to business husband and father who needed to take care of his family.

He rushed over to the shower and turned on the water so that it would be nice and warm for Bonnie. He zoomed out of the bathroom and zoomed back with a pair of women's sweat pants and a t-shirt.

Bonnie squinted her eyes and frowned up at the clothes. She was too out of it to make a fuss about how and where Damon came by the garments.

Damon set the clothes on the vanity then stepped in front of Bonnie. He looked yearningly down on her for a minute, recalling when she gave birth to their child and how Bonnie looked when she first held Natasha in her arms. Damon was beginning to feel very nostalgic over a disheveled looking Bonnie who looked very beautiful to him in this moment. He reached down and grabbed her hands, lifting them to him. Bonnie slowly rose, an enraptured look in her eyes.

Her eyes fitfully searched Damon's pale, chiseled face. She deeply swallowed as he began to lean into her. Damon cupped her chin with his finger and thumb as he gradually drifted into her. His mouth finally made contact with hers. Bonnie closed her eyes and pushed her lips into his. Damon's lips softly retracted and extended into hers over and over again. Bonnie's lips were moist and incredibly soft. Damon couldn't seem to get enough of her touch.

Bonnie's lips mirrored Damon's. They retracted and pushed repeatedly back against his. Bonnie no longer felt like she was a part of her body as she coherently felt the heat from the shower nearby. The water seem to pelt harder against the surface. It was the only thing keeping her from completely slipping off into the fantasy world in her mind.

Damon finally pulled away from the kiss, but his eyes were still fixated on her. Bonnie couldn't fathom why they were being so serious in this moment, but Damon knew exactly why.

The woman who stood before him had just giving birth, to his child. She carried his child inside of her. She suffered the most atrocious pain. She watched him make out with his ex-girlfriend. She kicked the ass of the bane of his existence, and she had the audacity to give him a healthy, powerful, and beautiful baby girl.

Bonnie was a goddess to Damon and she didn't even know it. He admired her. He worshiped her, and more importantly he was unequivocally in love with her.

Bonnie turned Damon's world upside down in the best way possible, and he was scared and excited about their future all at once.

Bonnie slightly trembled. Though the bathroom was nice and warm due to the hot shower, their quixotic moment made her quiver internally.

Damon took her by the shoulders and gently rubbed them for warmth.

He then trailed his hands down to the edge of her fitted dress, holding her gaze all the while before he slowly eased her dress up and over her frame. Bonnie quivered again as his fingers lightly brushed against her warm, tawny skin. She then aimlessly lifted her arms. Damon gradually slide the dress over her head and threw it to the floor. He then looked down at her body which was not the slender tone physique that he had looked down on so many times before.

Bonnie's tummy was swollen. Her inner thighs were covered in blood and her long chocolate locks were a mess on top of her head.

Bonnie was embarrassed by his long, intense gazing of her. It had been awhile since she had felt shy about being naked around him.

Damon absentmindedly caressed her bloated belly. Bonnie recoiled due to his cold touch. A troubled look flashed across Damon's face. "Is something wrong?" he asked concerned.

"Your hands are cold, and I don't want you to see me like this," Bonnie said in a croaky voice as she crossed her arms over her breasts.

Damon smiled. "You don't want me to look at you?" he asked as if she were being absurd.

"No. I'm a mess." She cut her eyes nervously down at the floor and then back up at him as she squeezed her arms tighter to her frame.

Damon grabbed her arms. Bonnie stiffened her body, but this did not deter Damon. He firmly gripped her hands and peeled them slowly away from her breasts. The move allowed him to see her in all her naked, perfect glory.

"You know what I see," he said lovingly.

Bonnie looked intently at him through her green eyes that seemed darker in this moment. Her powerful and pensive gaze spoke to him.

"I see a beautiful, strong, and powerful woman who defeated a very powerful warlock and delivered a baby all in one night. Hell, within minutes apart from each other," he said astounded as he widened his eyes and then lightly chuckled.

A smile slowly crept across Bonnie's lips. She was now grinning from ear to ear.

"I did have a little help," she added sweetly.

"Well still, you did it, and I'm so proud of you."

"Hey you guys!" Melissa yelled from the bedroom.

"Yeah!" Damon shouted back as he turned to look at the bathroom entrance.

"Tyler says we're okay to leave and the car is running!"

"Okay!" Damon yelled back before smiling back at Bonnie. "Come on fatso," he said as he opened the shower door for her.

"Hey! You said I was beautiful!" Bonnie fussed and frowned up at him before entering the shower.

"I'm joking. I'm joking," he answered playfully, then shut the shower door behind her.

**(****)**

The gang pulled up to the airport. Elena and the others were surprised to see Matt standing on the tarmac with a large duffle bag in hand.

They quickly unloaded the car and the pilot and co-pilot loaded their items onto the plane.

"Matt, you came." Elena flashed him a slight grin as she moseyed over to him.

"Someone has to look after you," Matt joked.

"Aww, don't you two look cute together," said Enzo.

Matt grinned and then chuckled.

The pilot yelled to everyone that they were ready.

The fellows let the ladies board the plane first and they followed quickly after them, Stefan being the last to board.

Lucy, Caroline, and Eva took their seats. Stefan finally entered the plane. He looked at Lucy. She gave him an inviting smile. He then looked to Caroline who desperately waved him over. He flashed her an uncomfortable grin and waved back. He then looked at Eva, who was looking out the window and at everything else but him.

Stefan quickly walked passed Lucy and Caroline, not sparing them a glance. Lucy squinted her eyes suspiciously at him. Caroline's jaw dropped as she watched Stefan pass her by to sit with Eva.

"Hi, do you mind if I sit here?" Stefan asked.

Eva turned to him as if she were startled. "Hun, oh yeah, sure," she politely answered and then removed her things from the vacant seat.

Stefan put his things overhead, sat down, and fastened his seatbelt. He looked over at Eva who was looking at him too. They politely smiled at each other.

( ~ )

Enzo, seeing what happened between Caroline and Stefan, jumped at the chance to sit with Caroline.

"Is this seat taken?" Enzo sweetly asked.

"Yeah, whatever." Caroline was short with him. She angrily grabbed her purse and harshly shoved it underneath the seat. She looked out the window and angrily folded her arms.

Enzo widened and narrowed his eyes at her response. He put his things away, then sat down. He looked at her for a second. He shook his head and slightly chuckled. "Sorry I'm not Stefan."

"It's not about Stefan," she angrily spat after snatching her gaze around to his.

"Right." Enzo slightly nodded as he knowingly squinted his eyes at her.

"Do you have any plans this weekend?" Stefan asked. He then cringed when he thought about what he had asked Eva.

She lightly giggled.

"Oh. My. God. I cannot believe I asked you such a stupid question," Stefan answered, embarrassed.

Eva laughed again, "Don't beat yourself up about it. I don't mind it when a cute guy ask me a stupid question." She flashed him an alluring look.

( ~ )

Lucy glared at Stefan and Eva. She couldn't believe that she was feeling jealous over Stefan. She had made up in her mind that they were sex buddies only and nothing more. But here she was, feeling some type of way about him flirting with another woman besides her and she couldn't explain why.

She didn't care if he spoke to or spent time with Elena or Caroline, but this woman was a potential threat and it made Lucy green with envy.

"Hey Lucy," Jeremy flashed her a polite grin.

"Ugh, it's you?" Lucy turned up her nose and rolled her eyes at him. Jeremy looked at her like a wounded animal. He pouted and mumbled under his breathe before leaving to find another place on the plane to sit.

( ~ )

Stefan gushed at Eva's response. They shared an intimate moment where their eyes locked but neither one of them could think of what to say.

They took off, and suddenly the plane experienced some turbulence. Eva tightly gripped the handles of her seat as she frantically looked around her. Stefan grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly. The move instantly distracted Eva of the fear and anxiousness she felt over the jet taking off.

She observed Stefan's hand, gripping hers. Then she slowly lifted her gaze to his. "Uh, thank you." She smiled.

"So, does this make up for my stupid question?"

"Being chivalrous always makes up for stupidity," she flirted.

While Eva and Stefan were hitting it off, Caroline, Lucy, and now Elena were all green with envy.

"Elena, are you okay?" Matt asked after seeing her red eyes and the veins swim across her cheeks.

"Uh, yeah, yeah, I'm great." She quickly turned to face him, flashing him a fake smirk. Matt took her hand into his and tightly gripped it. Elena firmly gripped his hand back. "I'm just feeling a little anxious, that's all."

"No need to feel anxious. This is a good thing. You've always wanted this. You need this. Remember that, okay?"

Elena quickly nodded. Matt kissed her on the cheek. He then put his focus elsewhere which left Elena feeling alone. The last time they made this trip everything was all about her, but this time things were different. Everyone was distracted by their own issues. This trip seemed more like an escape for them then a mission to save her. Elena heard Stefan let out an embellish laugh. His happiness sidetracked her from her own pity party. She went from feeling sorry for herself to feeling resentful of Stefan.

( ~ )

They finally landed at the desired location in Nova Scotia. Stefan climbed off the plane to see two pair of eyes pensively staring through him. He looked over at Caroline. She rolled her eyes at him, then quickly looked away. He then looked at Elena who flashed him an innocent and distraught look as she stared at him through her dejected, whiskey eyes. Stefan didn't know if he wanted to laugh or cuss Elena out for acting like such a victim.

Stefan decided to take the high road and be polite to his ex-girlfriend instead. He flashed her a timid grin and then high tailed it over to Lucy. He walked slowly to her but not without locking gazes with Eva who flashed him a flirtatious grin.

"You enjoy the flight?" Stefan asked Lucy as he stood over her while she dug through her knapsack.

She ignored him.

"Lucy," he called in a singsong voice.

"What?" Lucy answered coldly, not sparing him a glance.

Stefan narrowed his gaze suspiciously at her distant response. "Is something wrong?"

"Go ask your girlfriend," Lucy responded in a low and irritated voice.

Stefan watched her with a wounded facial expression as she walked away from him. He watched her so intently that he didn't notice as the rest of the group gathered up their things and took off towards the trail beyond the thicket one by one.

"You coming?" Eva asked, then smiled sweetly at him.

"Uh, yeah," he answered distractedly, not sparing her a glance. "Alright, let's go." Stefan waited for Eva to walk away first and then he followed behind her.

They hiked up the trail occasionally making small talk amongst themselves. It was mostly Lucy, Matt and Enzo who did all the talking about general mundane things.

Caroline was still upset with Stefan and was being passive aggressive. Elena was distracted by her thoughts of being human again and what that would mean for her relationship with Stefan and her feelings for Damon once she was no longer a vampire.

Stefan on the other hand chatted mostly with Eva, but he was still concerned about Lucy's behavior towards him earlier. He couldn't believe he felt so affected by how she treated him. They were just friends, but oddly, he needed her to be okay with him.

"Stefan, are you okay?"

"Oh, yeah," he answered vaguely, then smiled at her.

"You seem distracted," Eva said.

"Sorry, just thinking about where we have to go, and what happened the last time we visited Nova Scotia."

"What happened?" Eva squinted her eyes peculiarly at his response.

"We came here, well not here but here in the present a couple of years ago for the cure, for Elena." He rolled his eyes.

"You've retrieved the cure for Elena before?" Eva asked unbelievingly.

"Yeah, we did, and it was a disaster. We learned that there was only one cure. We found out that Bonnie was being brainwashed by Silas. Jeremy was murdered on that mission, and that set in motion another series of unfortunate events."

Elena frowned up at Stefan's conversation with Eva. She was livid with him for telling Eva her business, and she was upset with herself for all the pain that she had caused her friends. It was the first time that she allowed the events from that time in her life to sink into her awareness.

"So why didn't Elena take the cure?" she asked.

"She didn't want it. She forced it down Katherine's throat instead."

"That was pretty selfish of her." Eva frowned.

"You know what?" Elena snapped as she quickly turned around to them. "I can hear…everything you're saying. I'm still a vampire."

Her words halted everyone in their tracks.

Stefan flashed her an incredulous look and then shrugged. "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings Elena, but nothing I said was a lie."

Everyone stood frozen, their eyes bounced from Elena to Stefan.

"I don't need you telling everyone my business," Elena said through clenched teeth. She heatedly turned around and quickly marched pass the others.

"This trip just got a little more exciting," Enzo joked.

Matt and Lucy laughed. Jeremy shook his head and frowned up at his comment. Caroline ignored him, then took off down the path behind Elena. Stefan and Eva looked at each other, shrugged, and then sniggered.

They traveled down the trail again. The same tension filled silence lingered within the group. After a couple of hours of hiking and resting, they were finally near the cave. Lucy found a good spot for her to perform the spell to send them back to ninety four and to set up camp. They diligently worked to set up their campsite in the cleared area which was surround by trees.

The area was covered with dirt, rocks, and a few broken tree limbs. It was a beautiful day on the island but still not beautiful enough to change the sour moods of Stefan's former and current love interest.

"So we're just going to leave our things here, alone?" Jeremy asked as he searched through his large duffle bag for the things he needed to take with him back to ninety four.

"No, we're not because you're going to stay behind and keep watch over everything," Lucy answered sternly.

"What?" Jeremy snapped and quickly stood. "Elena is my sister. I'm going."

"Why, so you can ruin everything by getting yourself hurt, killed or just plan be in the way?" Lucy shot back.

The others looked quickly between Lucy and Jeremy as they fired back at one another.

"I'm pretty sure I can't get hurt in nineteen ninety four Lucy," he answered as if she were being ridiculous.

"Jeremy just stay, okay?" Elena suggested in her raspy voice as she walked over to her brother and lovingly rubbed his elbow.

"But Elena I need to be there, for you."

"I can't take that chance Jeremy. Especially after what happened to you the last time we came here, so just stay. I promise everything will be alright," Elena reassured him.

Jeremy stomped his feet and pursed his lips tightly together in resentment. He stared at his sister for a second, letting her words sink in. "Okay, I'll stay."

"Good." Elena gave him a hug and then joined Lucy and the others.

"Eva, hold this," Lucy asked.

Eva held the ascendant up to Lucy whilst she cut a small gash in the palm of her hand. Lucy held her bloody appendage over the object, squeezed out a little blood onto the ascendant whilst the others intensely watched.

"You ready?" Lucy looked around at the others.

Stefan came and stood by Lucy. He held his hand out for her to take and smiled at her. Lucy rolled her eyes and snubbed him. Stefan frowned and made her take his hand.

Elena and Caroline watched the exchange acutely. Caroline looked at Elena for a second and then ran over and grabbed Stefan's free hand. Elena frowned at what her friend had done. She ran over and squeezed in between Lucy and Stefan, taking his other hand.

"Oh my God!" Lucy shouted, frustrated.

"Stefan you're quite popular," Matt mocked and then sniggered.

They were now all connected in a circle. Elena's, Stefan's, Caroline's, Matt's, and Enzo's hands were firmly linked together. Eva locked hands with Enzo and rested the other hand on Lucy's shoulder as she held the ascendant in one hand and grasped Elena's hand with the other.

Lucy began to chant, after five long minutes, a bright light descended upon them. The light was so radiant that not even their tightly shut eyelids could shield the blaring brightness.

The light went as fast as it came. Lucy peeled open one eyelid and then the other. She looked around at the others and then up at the sky, seeing storm clouds. She heard the faint sound of thunder in the distance. They were in the same spot from where they transported from but the site was overgrown with bushes, grass, and a small circular patch of dirt. It was not nearly the perfect area to set up camp as it was in the present.

The others began to open their eyes and inspect their surroundings to. When they opened their eyes they found themselves no longer all linked together. Caroline and Enzo were still holding hands and were a few yards away from the rest of the gang. They were all scattered throughout the area.

Enzo and Caroline looked amazingly down at their linked hands with wide eyes and then slowly looked back up at each other.

"This is awkward," Enzo said.

Caroline looked at him for a second longer and then snatched her hand away from his. She anxiously looked around to see who saw the entire incident.

"Come on. Let's get this done before the storm hits us," Lucy suggested before taking off towards the cave.

Stefan quickly took off after her. "Great job getting us here," Stefan said to Lucy.

"I performed a damn spell. I didn't build a rocket ship."

Stefan grimaced at her remark.

"Ah! Ah! Ah! Modus!" Eva screamed at the top of her lungs.

Everyone halted dead in their tracks and speedily came to her rescue, Stefan being the first to her side.

"What is it? Are you okay?" he asked frantically.

"A snake fell on me," Eva said in a shaky voice as she hit at herself, still knocking the now invisible snake off of her.

Stefan looked fitfully around for the creature, not seeing it anywhere.

"I don't see anything," he said.

"I tossed him over there with my magic," she panted.

"Okay, well he's gone now. You'll be okay."

Stefan looked deeply into her serious eyes. His gaze mirrored hers.

Eva grabbed her forehead and lightly chuckled at herself and Stefan followed.

"This totally makes up for your question back on the plane earlier." She laughed.

"No, I still think I have you beat." Stefan chuckled and Eva flashed him an affectionate grin.

"Oh my God." Caroline rolled her eyes at them and then marched away.

Elena looked at Eva and Stefan with a wounded expression and so did Lucy.

"Are you going to be okay love?" Enzo asked.

"Yeah," Matt added.

"Yes." She quickly nodded. "I think I'll be fine. Especially with three strapping men here at my beckon call," she flattered.

Matt blushed and scratched the back of his head. Enzo grinned, and Stefan beamed.

"Let's go!" Lucy yelled angrily.

"Yes sir!" Enzo shouted and then took off behind her.

"She seems upset," Eva whispered.

"Yeah, she's been a little on edge ever since we boarded the plane," Stefan said as he looked worriedly at a fleeing Lucy. "Come on."

They were now back enroute to the cave. Within an hour they were finally at their destination. Enzo and Stefan secured the rope that led down into the cave. Enzo and Stefan went down first to make sure everything was okay. The women came down next, Lucy being the first.

Stefan remembered exactly where Silas's tomb was in the cavern. They carefully followed behind him through the damp, dark, fissure as they hugged the jagged, rock wall.

They were now at said destination. Silas's tomb. Stefan stopped dead in his tracks at seeing the statue lying on the sculpted rock table. He was more concerned by the statue then he was about the little black box that held the infamous cure. He remembered like it was yesterday when he saw the face of the man that was frozen in that reddish, brown pillar.

It was his face frozen in time for two thousand years. It was his face that locked him in a safe, keeping him from the people that he loved for months. It was his face that he had murdered and burried for good.

"Stefan," Elena called.

"Yeah," he snatched his gaze to hers, a frightened look in his eyes.

"It's okay," she said.

"Yeah, I know," he answered.

"Stefan, are you going to be okay?" Lucy asked, forgetting that she was angry with him.

Stefan looked at her and then smiled. "I'm okay now," he replied.

Lucy's concern for his well-being lit a fire in Stefan. He turned to the statue on the table, swallowed deeply, and decided to face his fears. He marched over to the table and snatched the cure from the statue's hand. He held it in his grasp for a minute and looked suspiciously around the cave expecting for something sinister to happen.

"Is that it?" Enzo asked.

"I think so," Stefan replied and just as he answered, a loud clap of thunder filled the air.

Eva and Caroline screamed and the other's looked hysterically around them with a terrified look in their eyes. They all laughed once they realized what it was that they were all so afraid of.

"I'm beginning to think Lucy, Stefan, and Elena could have made this trip alone," Matt teased.

"Are you in the mood for a little adventure mate?" Enzo asked.

"Hell yeah!" Matt shot back.

"Wait until we get back to the camp site. Don't I have a surprise for you?"

"Please don't tell me that you brought liquor?" Lucy asked, then shook her head and let out a light chortle.

"Oh, but I did Lucy," Enzo replied and they all laughed.

( ~ )

The ride to the hospital was a quiet but pleasant one. Bonnie rode in the back seat with Melissa, and Natasha all bundled up in her car seat.

Bonnie was afraid to give Natasha a bath. She didn't want to do anything to her delicate, tiny baby until the doctor gave her the all clear. She did put her in one of her onesies, a diaper, and wrapped her up in one of her new baby blankets.

Bonnie couldn't take her eyes off of Natasha. She couldn't stop touching her forehead and running her fingers through her chestnut hair. Bonnie smiled at Natasha so, that her cheeks began to hurt.

Melissa too felt a similar adoration for the newborn, but it wasn't nearly as powerful an emotion as Bonnie's, the mother.

Bonnie and Melissa looked at each other and giggled, then gawked at the baby once more. As Bonnie lightly trailed her thumb over her pale-golden, baby's head. Shing popped into her head for the first time since she had Natasha.

She squinted her eyes in thought as she recalled how she managed to get Shing to leave the boarding house. She remembered their push and shove game and chanting with Melissa to break his spell over their home, but she couldn't remember what incantation she used to banish him away.

She began to feel disappointed in herself because of it. The better part of her discerned that it was Natasha, but she hated that her little one protected her and that it wasn't her that protected Natasha.

Bonnie absentmindedly drifted back into the seat. She looked out the window and began to wonder when she would see Shing, again. Bonnie had made up in her mind in this moment that the next time she faced the warlock, she would be the one to destroy him.

( ~ )

Damon had been watching Natasha and Bonnie off and on as he drove down the highway through the rearview mirror.

He felt light hearted and high on life as butterflies fluttered wildly about in his stomach.

This wasn't a feeling that Damon was accustomed to, but since being with Bonnie, he felt this way quite often and he wouldn't change it for anything in the world.

He looked through his rearview mirror, yet again, and grinned at Melissa and Bonnie as they gushed over Natasha. He put his eyes back on the road as the head beams of another vehicle shone brightly into the car as it drew nearer.

His focus shifted from his family to something darker. _How did Shing know how to find us,_ he questioned worriedly in thought.

He then wished that he was present when the entire incident took place. He then recalled the last time he tried to intervene in a witch and warlock fight, back in Gardenia. That time he ended up with a large wooden staff lodged in his chest.

Damon remembered why he hated and respected witches. They were the hierarchy of everything supernatural and his kind was simply a pun in their game.

Damon's mind went from one possible problem to another. He then began to wonder how he would discipline Natasha who had already displayed such great power from the womb. _How does one punish a kid who can vanquish your ass into the next world?_ He questioned as he narrowed his eyes in thought.

"We're here." Tyler's voice startled Damon who was still in deep reflection.

They pulled into the emergency entrance of the hospital's parking lot. Damon dropped Bonnie, Melissa, and the baby off with Meredith and a co-worker who were standing outside the entry with a wheelchair.

Damon grinned at the doctor. He really appreciated having friends in certain key positions in his life.

After parking, Damon and Tyler rushed inside the hospital. Meredith moved hastily along. She was a doctor on a mission as she, Bonnie and Melissa were boarding the elevator at the other end of the extremely long corridor when Tyler and Damon spotted them.

"Shit," Damon spat, then he took off running through the hospital with Tyler on his heels. Onlookers frowned up at them as they came barreling down through the hallway.

"Wait!" Damon yelled.

"No running in the hospital!" Meredith yelled through the small opening of the elevator door before it fully closed.

"Ah man! Shit!" Damon stomped his foot and threw his hands up in the air in frustration.

Tyler sniggered. "Come on. Let's take the stairs. Maybe you'll cool off," he mocked as he patted Damon on the elbow.

Damon narrowed his eyes at Tyler's response and then slightly grinned. "I'm a daddy," Damon gloated and wiggled his eyes at Tyler as he pushed his bottom lip into his top one.

Tyler shook his head at Damon. "I feel so sorry for that kid."

"Why?" I'm going to be a good dad. You don't think so?" Damon questioned with a squinted gaze as they slowly walked down the hallway to the stairwell entrance.

"If a good dad is the kind of father that eats his kid's date for a midnight snack, then you're going be a great dad." Tyler widened his eyes dubiously at Damon.

"I would never do that," Damon said as if Tyler was being ridiculous.

Tyler stopped dead in his tracks, halting Damon too. Tyler looked seriously at him. Damon burst into a fit of laughter. "I won't kill them. I'll just break both their arms and legs." He shrugged.

Tyler shook his head and then burst through the stairwell door entrance.

Whilst Tyler and Damon rambled on and took their time making it up to the maternity ward, Meredith had already checked Bonnie in and had prepared her for her checkup.

Melissa text Damon and let him know Bonnie's room number.

Ten minutes later, Tyler and Damon arrived still rambunctiously discussing what type of dad Damon would be.

"Dude you are so not going to be a stern father. Natasha is going to run all over you."

"Nah un, she is not going to run ALL over me."

"So, you two decided to show up." Bonnie smiled at them.

"Meredith closed the elevator on me," he fussed as he walked over to Bonnie. He leaned into her and gave her a soft, lingering kiss on the lips.

Tyler stood by Melissa and wrapped his arm around her waist and they gushingly observed Bonnie and Damon.

Damon finally found the strength to separate himself from Bonnie. He looked around the room. His eyes fitfully searched every nook and cranny for Natasha. After what happened earlier that night he didn't want his daughter separated from him or Bonnie for not even a minute.

"Where is my daughter?" he asked in a confused and irritated tone.

"Our daughter." She frowned, "Meredith's giving her a checkup so calm down," Bonnie said sassily.

"Oh," he answered and then sat down on the bed beside her. "How do you feel?"

"Mmm, surprisingly I feel okay," Bonnie replied happily.

"You're a mother now." He beamed.

"She's the mother of possibly the most powerful witch that ever lived," Melissa said excitedly.

"This is a strong possibility," Bonnie answered with a hint of concern in her voice.

Damon instantly picked up on her change in mood. "Does it bother you that she's capable of being very powerful?" he asked, his brow furrowed.

Bonnie looked at him for a minute, contemplating her answer. "It doesn't bother me that she'll be stronger than me. It bothers me that I've forced her to be in a position to save me," Bonnie explained sadly.

Damon hopped up off the bed and leaned into her. He placed his arm on the pillow above her head and tenderly rubbed her forehead. "Don't look at it that way. Just like a mother will protect her child, the child will do the same for its mother. There's no difference."

"Yeah Bonnie. You should be proud of her," Melissa added.

"My ass, sure as hell glad that she's around," Tyler said playfully.

"You guys are right. I should put aside my pride. I should rejoice in the fact that my little girl, as an unborn, is already capable of doing what I did at the age of seventeen."

"She definitely has some serious brain power; She's definitely my kid," Damon said mindlessly with a faraway look in his eyes.

Bonnie and the others flashed him a disbelieving look.

"Damon, I doubt you had anything to do with her supreme intelligence; that's all Bonnie," Tyler added.

"Awww," Bonnie gushed.

"Whatever. She's half my kid," Damon fussed and they all laughed.

"Look who came to join the party," Meredith said happily as she entered the room with Natasha in her arms, wrapped up in her purple and pink baby blanket.

Damon quickly stood and flashed Meredith and Natasha an astounded look.

"My baby," Bonnie gasp as she held her hands out to receive her daughter.

"Aww," Melissa gushed.

"Don't forget to get pictures babe," Tyler suggested but Melissa decided to do a video of the moment instead.

"Tyler, I'm doing a video. Take pictures," Melissa rushed out.

Meredith walked passed Damon who was speechless. She put Natasha carefully in Bonnie's arms. Damon quickly leaned into them. He pushed the baby blanket aside to get a better look at his button nose, pale-golden child.

"Your beautiful baby girl weighed in at seven pounds and thirteen ounces. She's nineteen inches in length, and she is a picture of perfect health."

"Aww, thank you Meredith," Bonnie chimed.

"I'll give you guys a few minutes alone, and Bonnie, I'll be back for you in a bit," Meredith said and then left the room, leaving the others alone.

The room fell silent as everyone stood around gawking at Natasha. Bonnie held her tight in her arms, sniffed her hair, and kissed her cheek over and over again. Damon stood over them, still smiling. He couldn't stop smiling. This was something else he wasn't used to doing, at least not for some extraordinary reason such as having a child.

"I can't believe I'm a dad. I wish Stefan was here to see this," he said lowly with a starry-eyed look.

A sad look covered Tyler's face. He couldn't help but feel a little guilty for being partly responsible for Stefan not being able to be here in this moment. Melissa kissed his cheek, wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed him tightly to her. The move instantly made Tyler feel better.

"Can you believe we have a child?" Bonnie asked as she beamed up at Damon.

"I can't believe it, but I'm sure as hell happy about it. I'm going to do right by her Bonnie. I promise." Damon bsentmindedly regarded Natasha as he gently played in her wavy hair.

"Of course you will," Bonnie replied as she reached her hand up to him in offering.

Damon took her hand and then drifted down to her. He rested his forehead against hers before sweetly kissing her lips. He pulled away from the kiss, but Bonnie wasn't ready for his lips to depart from hers just yet. She fisted his shirt, pulled him back in to her and crashed her lips against his. Damon quickly reciprocated. Their mouths opened and closed over each other's repeatedly for what seemed like forever to Melissa and Tyler who began to feel like they were invading their privacy.

Melissa stopped filming and Tyler rushed to put his phone away.

The couple finally ended their lip lock session, only to shower their little girl with kisses to the forehead and cheeks continuously. Natasha made the mistake of yawning and cooing and Damon and Bonnie became overly zealous.

"She opened her eyes! She has my eyes! She has my eyes!" Damon chimed ecstatically, waking up Natasha in the process.

"Oh my God she yawned! Look at her little mouth! She's so beautiful! She has my nose! See? See?" Bonnie squealed elatedly.

They went back to touching Natasha's face, hair, and kissing all over her cheeks and head.

Tyler frowned. He felt protective of Natasha, even though she hadn't summoned him to do so. He was used to protecting her now even though he had been doing it for such a short time.

"Okay, I'm going to have to ask you two to step away from the baby." Tyler frowned up and then became confused about his own behavior.

"Yeah, give her some air," Melissa added and they all laughed.

Here they were, a few hours later after Shing had attacked them and still no discussion about how to defeat the nuisance of their existence. They never even once mentioned how to seek out their nemesis and end him once and for all.

Natasha was their world now, and their enemies would have to wait, for now.


	23. Chapter 23 Fluff and Stuff Part II

**A/N:** XOXOXOXO ****ALERT*** OLD CHAPTER, NEW AUTHOR'S NOTE.

I'm working on my latest update of this story and One Monster's Fate –now.

I've been doing some major enhancements to OMF and all my stories. This is what's taking me so long. I have enlisted extra help from a few wonderful editors online. I hope to be back on track, soon… I hope.

I edited this chapter… again, and I am just re-loading it, sorry. Maybe you can read it to get caught up… LMAO!

**Oblivion Chapter 23: Fluff and Stuff Part II **

After retrieving the cure, the gang headed back to the ninety four camp site. Only this time, they had an unwanted visitor. Any other time they probably would have been aware of the extra company, but they were too thrilled at how easy it was to obtain the cure. They were also distracted by the falling rain to suspect and hear that there was an extra heartbeat amongst them.

Their unwanted visitor was clever. He patiently and methodically waited for one of his victims to slip up. Whilst they ran through the woods laughing, screaming, and talking, their foe took his time, step by step he went, lurking and concealing himself behind trees or behind bushes when things got tricky.

Their adversary's perfect opportunity finally presented itself. Eva inadvertently dropped her backpack. She stopped to retrieve it which allowed the gang to leave her behind. Eva reached down to pick up her things only to find a boyish, white male with brown hair looking back at her.

"Who…" she was cut off by a whack to the face with a blunt object. Eva fell into her antagonist's arms. He grabbed ahold of her wrist and closed his eyes as he siphoned off her magic. He quickly dragged Eva's lifeless body behind a bush. He said a quick chant and in a blink, he was now Eva. An evil sneer crept across his lips after he successfully completed the enchantment.

But there was no time to gloat. There was still work to be done. Eva's look alike gazed down at her body with a disturbing look in her eyes before she stabbed Eva in the heart, killing her instantly.

The Eva look alike quickly wiped the blood off of his knife. He grabbed another ascendant from his backpack, two bottles of Zima, CD's and shoved them in to Eva's bag. He snatched up her haversack and swiftly took off to find the others.

The gang was finally back at the site.

"Where is Eva?" Stefan asked worriedly.

"Here I am! I dropped my backpack! Sorry!" Eva flashed Lucy a fanatical smile.

"Come on before the rain washes my blood off this thing!" Lucy yelled and then licked the excess moisture away from her lips. She glanced over at Stefan to find him looking back at her. Seeing the rain pour down his face reminded her of their many hot and provocative showers. She should have known she couldn't let a man make love to and fuck her the way that he did and not develop some type of feelings for him.

Stefan like Lucy, recalled all the erotic and steamy moments he had spent with her. Seeing her drenched and her white t-shirt cling to her like a latex glove aroused strong emotions within him. He really liked Lucy.

She was hot. She was smart. She did things to him in bed that he had never experienced in all his many years of living. Lucy made life exciting, but more importantly, she was his friend. But now she was angry with him, and it made him want to punch somebody in the face or wrap his car around a tree because of it.

Lucy slicked her sandy brown hair back on her head and rolled her eyes at Stefan and oddly, it made his manhood twitch. He looked somberly down at the ground and then took Elena's offering hand.

"We have the cure," Elena said to him.

Her voice sounded like it came from far off in the distance, as Stefan's unrelenting focus was still on how Lucy was treating him.

Everyone else linked hands as well. Caroline made sure not to hold Enzo's hand this time. Elena held Stefan's and Matt's hand.

Once they were connected and ready, Lucy did the chant and they were back in present day Nova Scotia. The sun shiny down on them and the absences of rain was the dead giveaway that they had returned.

This time they returned with Matt and Elena still holding hands. Elena looked down at Matt's hand and he looked at hers. He ran his thumb tenderly inside the palm of her hand and Elena swallowed deeply.

She looked Matt deeply in the eyes. "We did it," Elena said lowly, then flashed him a cheesy grin.

"Yeah, we did. Are you ready to be human again?" he asked.

"I'm ready for a new beginning."

Matt smiled at her response.

"Whew! We did it! We did it!" Eva yelled overzealously as she jumped up and down.

Everyone flashed her an odd look.

"Was the rain a little too much for you love?" Enzo joked and the others laughed.

Eva looked shamefaced at everyone. "Uh, yeah." She cleared her throat, and turned around. _Wow,_ she mouthed. "Be cool, Kai," she murmured under her breathe.

Once they arrived they all went their separate ways to get ready for the night and to let their love ones back home know that they had returned.

Once taken care of their personal needs, they all began to migrate around the campfire with Enzo, Lucy, and Matt, who were already comfortable on their blankets, drinking bourbon.

Caroline sat down on a log. She rested her chin on her hand and looked deeply into the yellow orange flames that reflected in her pale, grey eyes. Stefan sat down on the ground beside Lucy who had gone back to ignoring him. Elena came along next. She sat between Caroline and Jeremy. Elena looked at Caroline. They timidly grinned and then hastily looked away from each other.

Elena frowned at Jeremy who was drinking some of the bourbon that Enzo had brought along with him.

"Jeremy, you know you're not supposed to have that."

"We smoke weed together Elena." Jeremy flashed her a discontented look.

Elena widened her eyes, recalling when she had smoked pot with her brother. "What the hell." She took Jeremy's drink and gulped it down in one take.

Jeremy laughed.

"Lucy what was the name of that movie we watched the other night with Jensen Smith? He was good in that movie too." Stefan attempted to be a part of their conversation, again.

"Anyway Enzo, what were you saying about Jensen's new film?" Lucy rolled her eyes at Stefan. He shook his head and let out a frustrated chuckle at her rejoinder.

Enzo and Matt looked uncomfortably at Stefan, then continued their conversation with Lucy.

Stefan looked around at the others, irritated. Elena stared at him with doe eyes.

He knew immediately that he didn't want to talk to her. He was not in the mood for her woe is me story.

He then glanced at Caroline. The desperate look on her face struck fear in his undead heart. The last thing he wanted to do while in his own feelings was talk to someone that he wasn't in love with about their abundant feelings for him, as he wasn't in the mood for breaking hearts either.

Lastly, he looked over at Matt and Enzo with puppy dog eyes. They were still enraptured by Lucy, and if he were them, he wouldn't leave Lucy to hang out with him either.

Stefan finally thought about Eva. He slightly grinned when he thought about their conversation on the plane. She was a sweet girl, and he was looking forward to getting to know more about her_. I hope Lucy likes her,_ he thought and then cringed when he realized what he had done. He quickly stood and watched Eva's tent. She finally emerged. She looked around at the others as if she were lost or not sure of what to do.

"Hey, come sit and have a drink with us." Stefan waved her over.

Eva grinned nervously as she slowly moseyed over to him. She took the spot next to Stefan.

"Did you get ahold of your brother?" Stefan asked.

"Who?" Eva flashed him a questioning expression.

"On the plane you told me that your brother was concerned about you making this trip and that you were going to call him once we returned because, and I quote, "I'm not in the mood for his nagging." Stefan let out a low chortle.

"Oh yes, I called him. Everything's fine." Eva leered and quickly nodded.

"Well I'm glad you two worked it out." He paused. "So when we return, are you going straight home or will you stick around Mystic Falls for a while?"

"I think I better stick around Mystic Falls for a while. You know, things to do, people to kill. Not necessarily in that order," she said nonchalantly and shrugged.

Stefan turned his lip up at Eva's response. Kai widened his eyes in horror once he realized what he had said.

"Excuse me?" Stefan squinted, making sure he heard right.

"I'm joking," she said playfully.

"Whew, you kind of had me worried there." He lightly chuckled. Stefan stared affectionately at her for a second and Eva became uneasy under his regard. She tapped her hands against her knees and her feet against the ground. Stefan picked up on her nervousness. He shifted in his seat and put his attention elsewhere.

"Since you're staying a while in Mystic Falls, I would love to show you around town," Stefan suggested as he looked out at the scenery and then glanced over at Eva.

Lucy fidgeted uneasily in place as she eavesdropped in on Eva's and Stefan's conversation. She struggled to pay attention to Enzo.

Caroline was boiling over with anger. Elena grew sadder as she watched the once great love of her life forget that she even existed or that they were even friends. Here she was, about to be human again after three long years of being a lousy vampire, and Stefan didn't seem to care.

"Yeah sure. I'd love it if you'd show me around." Eva beamed.

"Ok, cool. Would you like a drink?" Stefan asked.

Caroline was now at her wits end with Stefan and Eva. She hated that Stefan wasn't giving her any attention and that his focus was totally on another woman. She jumped up and marched off towards the woods. She looked back at Stefan to see him still laughing and talking to Eva and not paying her any consideration.

Enzo noticed that Caroline was upset. "Excuse me Lucy." He excused himself, then took off towards the woods after her.

Lucy watched Enzo run off. She then looked back at Matt and Jeremy who were waiting on her to start the next conversation. She rolled her eyes, frustrated.

Lucy's phone suddenly rang. She was relieved and startled all at once at hearing and feeling her phone vibrate in her pocket. She ripped her cell out and smiled once she saw that it was Bonnie calling her back.

"Hey everybody, Bonnie's calling!" she yelled. Lucy was thrilled that Bonnie had called but she was mostly glad because she knew that hearing from Damon would distract Stefan from whatever he was doing with Eva.

"Oh, that's Bonnie? May I speak to Damon when you're done?" Stefan asked, but Lucy ignored him and rushed off to her tent.

Stefan shook his head at her reaction. A somber expression covered his face as he watched Lucy walk away from him.

( ~ )

"Caroline! Caroline, wait!" Enzo yelled.

"What do you want Enzo?" she asked nastily, then heatedly spun around to face him.

Enzo stopped in front of her and rested his hands on his hips. He shook his head and lightly chuckled.

"Oh, screw you." Caroline waved him off, rolled her eyes and tried to walk away.

Enzo grabbed her wrist and whirled her around to him. He took her by the hand and tenderly rubbed the back of it.

Caroline stared nervously down at his hand, touching hers and then back up at his sad whisky eyes.

Enzo swallowed the excess salvia collecting in his mouth due to his nervousness. He now felt the courage to tell Caroline how he truly felt. "Why do you do this to yourself?"

"I'm not doing anything to myself," she shot back indignantly.

"You deserve better Caroline."

"Like you know what's best for me."

"Yeah, I know what's best for you, and it sure as hell not Stefan Salvatore. His interest is everywhere but on you, but I'm here Caroline! I see you!"

"I don't want to hear this," Caroline said in a shaky voice and tried to walk away, yet again, but Enzo stopped her from leaving, once more.

"You're cool Caroline. You're fun. You're tough, and you care about everything and everyone around you. If Stefan can't see that, then he's the fool," Enzo explained, his eyes glistening and sad.

Caroline grabbed her forehead, closed her eyes and turned her back on Enzo. She didn't want him to see her be vulnerable.

"Why do we always desire the ones that don't want us?" she asked her back still to him.

"It's not appealing if it's not a challenge." He chuckled.

Caroline looked out into the darkness, her face serious. She finally let Enzo's response sink into her consciousness. She slowly turned around to him. A timid grin crept across her lips. She looked at Enzo for a second, taking in his appearance and all the beautiful things that he had said to her. She then recalled how he had been there for her the entire time Stefan was away, listening to her sad stories and giving her his shoulder to cry on. She suddenly felt an incredible urge to kiss him.

Caroline took Enzo by the face and planted a hard, wet kiss on his mouth. She pulled away from him after a minute of pressing her lips against his. She held his face in her grasp and they looked deeply into each other's eyes. Enzo's chest rapidly rose and fell as he rubbed the back of her hands, still holding her face in his tender grasp. Enzo gravitated into her for another kiss.

Their kiss became rapturous. Enzo flashed her up against a tree and fanatically kissed her neck, collar bone and chest. Caroline rubbed his back zealously as Enzo sustained with his sensual activity. Their lips met again. Enzo pushed her lips apart with his, twirling his tongue busily around hers.

"Enzo, Enzo, we can't," she moaned into his mouth and timidly tried to push him away.

"It's okay, I'll be gentle," he whispered, his heavy British accent was music to her ears. Caroline wanted to give in to this moment, but not here, not now, not while there was still hope for her and Stefan.

"Enzo!" Caroline pushed him off of her.

Enzo stumbled back on his feet. He looked at Caroline with an astounded look in his eyes as he timidly wiped the moisture away from his lips.

They looked crazy-eyed at each other for a tiff.

"I'm sorry Enzo. I need some time," she said in a breathy voice.

"I understand, but do you need time for Stefan to decide if he wants you, or do you need more time to see if it's me that you want?"

Caroline averted her sheepish gaze to the ground. Enzo closed his eyes tight. He had hoped that her answer would be the latter.

"I'm sorry Enzo. I love him."

"I understand, but just know that there's a guy standing in front of you that thinks the world of you. A guy who won't lead you on. A guy who thinks any man would be lucky to have you," he said sweetly. He stared at her for a minute more, then walked away.

Caroline watched him until he disappeared. She fell against a tree and drifted down to the ground and folded her knees up to her chest and began to cry. "He likes you Caroline," she cried through the words.

( ~ )

Back at the camp site, Elena watched the fire with a distraught look in her eyes. The crackling sound of the flames and the insects singing in the night were the only things that resonated with her in this moment. She had completely tuned out Stefan's and Eva's constant cackling. Eva seemed to be even more annoying to her now than she was when they were on the plane.

Matt watched Elena carefully before deciding to walk over and check on her. "Hey Elena. How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay," she answered distractedly as she continued to look absorbedly at the fire.

"We've known each other a long time, so I think I can tell when you're not okay." He smiled.

Elena looked at him for a moment, thinking over what she wanted to reveal to him. She didn't want to seem selfish but she couldn't help the way she felt.

"Three years ago, I had to make a decision between Stefan and Damon, and now, I've lost them both."

Matt dazed at her with a vacant look in his eyes, not knowing what to say. "You know what I think," he said a few minutes later.

"What?" she asked in a low, raspy voice.

"I think you should be thankful that you had not only one, but two great loves, and that you got to be happy with both. How many people can say that?" He paused. Elena smiled at his comment. "Stefan and Damon aren't the end Elena. This is just the beginning, and the sooner you take that cure, the sooner you can began your new life."

"You think I can be happy again?"

"I know so." He flashed her a loving grin.

"I think I'm ready to take that cure."

"Good." Matt stood. He held his hand out to her. She took his hand and he led Elena to her tent. Elena crawled inside, over to the little black box and then opened it.

Matt crawled in after her a few seconds later.

She removed the cure from the box, popped the lid off of the small glass tube, and then looked at Matt.

"Bottoms up," he said.

"Here goes." She closed her eyes, took a deep breath before drinking the blue elixir. "Ugh!" she grunted and shook her head.

"It's not pleasing to your palate?" Matt joked and Elena laughed.

"No." She wrinkled her nose and frowned.

They continued to laugh when suddenly Elena felt extremely sleepy and weak. "I think I'm going to pass out," she said.

The tube fell from her lifelessly fingers and she drifted quickly to the ground.

"Elena!" Matt yelled. He quickly leaned over her, checking for a pulse. He then remembered that she didn't have a pulse. She was a vampire. "Maybe this is how it's supposed to work," he said worriedly and then covered her with the blanket. He observed her for a few minutes, then laid down beside her. Matt wanted to believe that she would be okay, but deep down, he feared that Elena might never wake up.

( ~ )

"So, Bonnie and Damon had the baby?" Stefan asked elatedly after Lucy hung up the phone.

"I don't know. Ask Eva," Lucy answered rudely, then tried to crawl out of the tent.

Stefan zoomed in front of her and Lucy gave him an aneurysm.

"Stop it woman," Stefan said in a strangled voice. Lucy plopped down on her bottom, crossed her legs and angrily folded her arms.

Stefan composed himself. He stared at Lucy with an irritated expression.

"Why the hell have you been so mean to me? Why have you ignored me this entire trip? What did I do to you Lucy?" he asked in a thick voice.

Lucy gazed seriously at him. Her eyes searched guiltily at everything but Stefan.

"I'm feeling things for you Stefan, and I don't know how. I don't know why, or even when I start to like you so much, but I do. When I saw you with Eva, who is beautiful, smart, witty…and YOUNG! It made me crazy," she explained passionately, then laughed at how crazy she was being.

Stefan chuckled. Lucy shot him dagger eyes. He cleared his throat in an attempt to bypass the awkward moment. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I told you I didn't want anything serious, especially with a seventeen year old kid."

"I'm older than you Lucy," he answered mockingly.

"Not theoretically," she fussed. "…and even still, you don't feel the same way about me." She turned her sad eyes away from Stefan.

"If I didn't feel anything for you Lucy, then why did it hurt so badly when you treated me like shit?" Stefan grabbed her chin, turning her gaze back to his.

Lucy widened her eyes in amazement and smiled. "Awww, you poor baby. I made you feel like shit? That's great!" she beamed.

"How the hell is that great?!"

"It means I'm under your skin." She flirted. "You like me. You want to kiss me. You want to date me. You want to marry me," Lucy sang jokingly as she tried to straddle Stefan. He rolled his eyes at her and timidly pushed her away from him.

"Get off of me you tease," he fussed.

Lucy straddled Stefan, wrapped her arms around his neck, and ran her fingers through his hair. "So you really like me?" she asked seriously as she looked him deep in the eyes.

"When I was back in Gardenia. I thought about Elena, and sometimes I thought about you. I wondered what you were doing. I wondered if you were okay, and I wondered if I would get to be with you again once I returned. Well I thought about both of you, and the fact that I had fucked up and was about to die."

They laughed.

"So, you only thought about having sex with me? Great." She rolled her eyes at his absurd remark.

"Okay, the sex is good, but I like how you get in my face, and how you push back when I get out of line. I enjoy staying up late and watching movies with you, and just talking." He paused. "I want to date you Lucy. I want to get to know you and not just what it feels like to be in your bed. I see us living in a flat in London, or a quint apartment in New York. We'll walk around in our underwear all day and night drinking coffee, and we'll sit out on the balcony at night drinking a tall glass of red wine and watch the city…mmm." He sighed as he envisioned the things that he wanted them to do together.

"Mmm, that sounds nice. They'll be no Shing. No Mystic Falls, or doppelgangers." She laughed. "What about Eva?"

"She's beautiful, but she's a little weird. She's not that adorable woman I met at the house. She's a little creepy. Disturbed." Stefan narrowed his eyes as he recalled some of the things Eva said to him around the campfire.

"Eva? That doesn't sound like her," Lucy said curiously, her brow furrowed.

"Well, maybe you don't know her as well as you think you do," he replied.

Lucy shrugged.

"So, what about Bonnie and Damon?" Stefan asked.

"Bonnie had the baby. Shing paid them a little visit which forced her into early labor."

"Oh my God, is the baby okay? How is Damon and Bonnie?" Stefan widened his eyes, horrified.

"Everyone is fine. The baby is healthy, but Bonnie doesn't think this is the end. She's sure we'll hear from Shing again," she explained, tensed up.

"Just when I thought our lives were returning to normal," Stefan said somberly.

"Try not to think about it. I feel confident that everything will be okay, so don't worry." Lucy tried to be more upbeat.

"If you say it's going to be okay, then it will be okay." Stefan nudged her nose with his, then placed a chaste kiss on her lips.

Lucy kissed him back. Stefan ran his fingers through her hair, holding her gaze. He kissed her lips and timidly brushed his tongue against hers.

Their kiss deepened as they drifted to the floor, Lucy in his embrace. They kissed feverishly as he rocked his hips against hers. Lucy worked her hips against his, enjoying the crating feeling of his bulge ground into her pulsing center. Stefan's cock throbbed and his abdomen tingled with desire as he kissed and enthusiastically rubbed his hardness against her jeaned covered, heated center.

This kiss told Stefan all that he needed to know. Lucy was into him and he was unequivocally into her.

Stefan laughed in thought at how it took a trip back in time and Lucy ignoring him to see that he wanted her, that he wanted her for more than just a simple roll in the hay.

"Mmm, we better get some rest. We have an early flight," she said, adjourning their heated moment.

"Don't you want to make love?" he asked, crinkling his brow.

"Now that we're dating, we should take things slow."

Stefan observed her for a minute, seeing that she was serious. "You're for real?"

"Yup, do you have a problem with that?" she flied him a pensive look.

"No, I don't mind waiting for you. You're worth it," Stefan said, giving her a smoldering glance.

Lucy beamed.

( ~ )

The gang was back in Mystic Falls at the boarding house enjoying Natasha, everyone but Elena, Enzo, and Matt.

Elena took ill once she awoke from taking the cure. Matt decided to stay by her side until she felt better.

Enzo was still beside himself because Caroline had rebuffed his affections. It was much too hard for Enzo to be around Caroline now that he felt that he had no chances of being with her.

Kai made it his mission to visit the boarding house. Once he exhausted Eva's magic his true identity would be revealed and knowing that Lucy was a witch, a Bennett witch at that, he discern that her company would be of some use to him as it was already turning out to be fruitful. He was now in the company of four witches one of them being an infant that was both vampire and witch alike.

Kai wanted so badly to hold the child, to get a glimpse of her power, but every time he came close to Natasha, she would bawl her eyes out which put everyone's attention on him. Though Damon nor Tyler were no match for Kai, he felt very uncomfortable with Damon's sadistic gaze and Tyler's constant following of him.

"Why are you standing over the baby?" Tyler asked nastily.

"She's so pretty. I just want to hold her," Eva replied.

"Well you can't. Damn it. Now you've upset her," Tyler reached for Natasha, but Damon flashed right over as he was watching the incident from over by the couch.

"I'm sorry Damon. I didn't mean to upset your baby," Eva said convincingly.

Tyler glared at her and Damon narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Eva as he searched her from head to toe.

"Uh, Eva," Damon raced her a smug look. "You seem like a nice girl, but every time you're near my baby, she goes ballistic, so please…" he bat his lashes at her, then looked around to see if anyone else was nearby. "Stay the fuck away from my child." Damon shot Eva an ominous gaze. He took a crying Natasha from her basinet and lightly bounced her in his arms to calm her.

"Sorry, again." Eva rushed off to be with Lucy and the others.

"Is it me or did that chick get weirder since their trip?" Tyler asked.

"Yeah, somethings definitely off about her," Damon replied.

"What's wrong with Natasha?" Caroline came bouncing over to Tyler and Damon.

"She was upset but she's better now," Damon replied.

"Uh, so you don't mind if I hold her."

"Did you wash and sanitize your hands first?" Damon questioned sternly.

"Yes, now give me the baby." Caroline wrapped her hands around Natasha's tiny back and gently tugged at her. "Hey Natasha! Its auntie Caroline," she chimed as she took Natasha from Damon's arms, without so much as a, _'Yes you can hold her,'_ from Damon.

"So you're just going to take my baby?"

Damon quickly relinquished Natasha from his clutches. If he hadn't, he was sure that Caroline would rip her in half. Damon frowned at Caroline as she went bouncing off to be with the others, kissing on Natasha's forehead and cheeks as she went.

"You know Damon most parents encourage their children to leave the house and take flight, but I picture you chaining Natasha to her bed railing and spelling her inside," Tyler joked.

Damon gave Tyler a dirty look, then put his attention back on Caroline who was fascinated by his child. Even Bonnie made attempts to hold Natasha but Caroline simply ignored her. Soon Lucy came over. She took Natasha from Caroline. Caroline pouted. Stefan then came over. He and Lucy gawked over Natasha and showered her with tons of kisses.

Damon was now livid at seeing everyone touching his little girl but him.

Bonnie plopped back against the sofa, folded her arms and looked over at Damon. She forced herself to smile. He made himself grin affectionately back at her. Bonnie shrugged as she gestured to Stefan and Lucy.

Damon sped over to Bonnie and sat down, "I want them to leave," he whispered.

"They live here," she answered vaguely.

"Shit," Damon grumbled. "We need to set some ground rules."

"I agree."

"Are you okay with everyone kissing our baby?" Damon looked at Bonnie, his brow furrowed.

"Eww, no. I know what your brother does with Lucy."

"Hold up, don't say it." Damon held up his hand, halting Bonnie.

"Great. Now Caroline has her… again, and she won't give her up. She's so controlling. Ugh," Bonnie grunted.

"I'm getting our baby." Damon hopped up and marched over to Caroline.

"Caroline, I need Natasha," he said sternly in his deepest voice.

"I just got her back!" she loudly nagged.

"Not my problem," Damon fired back as he threaded an arm through Caroline's and delicately grabbed his child. He cradled a fretting Natasha in his arms, ran his fingers through her hair, and kissed her forehead. He walked back over to Bonnie, slightly bouncing the baby before taking a seat next to Bonnie.

"Hi Natasha." Bonnie radiated as she snuggled closer to them.

"Natasha, it's mommy," Damon added.

Stefan watched his brother and Bonnie with a gleam in his eyes as he stood in front of the fire place, his arms folded. He was an uncle now. Like Damon never dreamed that he'd be a father, Stefan never imagined that he'd be a father either, and he surely never imagined that he'd be an uncle. He didn't think that Damon wanted kids, even if he could have them.

Stefan couldn't believe what he was seeing with his own eyes. Damon coddling the most beautiful baby girl in all the world. He watched as Damon kissed her forehead and cheeks repeatedly as he took in the wonderful scent of her baby lotion and sweet breathe.

Stefan too could smell the wonderful fresh scent of his little niece from way across the room. She was a breath of fresh air compared to Damon's musty shirts and mucky socks.

Natasha began to cry. Bonnie checked her diaper to see if it was soiled. "She's probably hungry."

"I'll go get her bottle," Damon said as he handed Natasha to her mother.

"I'll get it," Stefan said in a raised voice.

"Oh, would you? There are bottles in the fridge. Remove the nipple and warm it in the microwave for thirty seconds. Shake it, replace the nipple, and put a drop on the back of your hand to make sure it's not too hot. Got it?" Damon explained seriously.

Stefan burst into a fit of laughter. Hearing Damon give him instructions on how to warm a baby bottle had Stefan tickled pink.

"What's funny?" Damon asked seriously, his brow wrinkled.

"You and your baby bottles," Stefan answered still extremely overjoyed.

"Bonnie, I thought you were breasts feeding?" Lucy asked excitedly.

"I am, but I have lots of time on my hands now a days. Enough time to pump plenty of breast milk." She giggled.

Caroline saw Stefan slipping off to the kitchen. She decided to take this opportunity to talk Stefan about her feelings for him. She hoped with all her heart that he would reciprocate her sentiment.

"Stefan," she called as she entered the kitchen. He quickly turned around to face her.

"Oh hey, Caroline," he happily greeted.

"Can we talk?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure. What's up?" he asked as he removed a bottle from the refrigerator.

"I'm in love with you Stefan, and don't pretend like you don't know. You can't keep avoiding me, this, us forever." Caroline stared at him with a penetrative gaze.

Stefan guiltily lowered his head and leaned against the table. He contemplated on what to say to her for over two minutes.

"Well," Caroline fussed.

He slowly lifted his gaze to hers. "I know you're in love with me Caroline."

"How…how…how do you feel about that, me?" She swallowed.

"You're a great girl, Caroline, and you're a great friend, but I just don't feel the same way about you." His eyes dimmed as he shoved his hands awkwardly down into his pockets. He was barely able to hold her gaze.

Damon was growing anxious for Natasha's bottle, so he rushed to the kitchen to see what was taking Stefan so long. He stopped and listened on the other side of the kitchen entrance when he heard Caroline and Stefan talking. Instead of running in for the bottle and letting the two chat in private, he decided to listen in on their conversation instead.

"But you said you trust me, even more than Elena," she expressed passionately.

"…and I do Caroline, but even more than trust, I cherish the friendship that we have, and I don't want to taint it by getting romantically involved with you and then end up hurting you. I will not only lose a girlfriend, I'll lose a best friend too. Is that what you want?"

Caroline looked at him through her watery, weary eyes. She wished in this moment that she could make Stefan love her, but she realized that she had to let him go, because that's what it was to truly love someone, setting them free.

Caroline also acknowledged as she stood before Stefan that her friendship with him was what she lived for. It was what got her through a lot of long and distressful nights. She wasn't ready to give that up by forcing him to feel for her what he didn't.

"Did I ruin us? Did I ruin our friendship by revealing to you how I truly feel about you?" she asked in a quavering voice as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Stefan walked over to her. His lips formed into a sweet smile. He took Caroline's hands and tenderly rubbed the back of them.

"You could never ruin this friendship, Caroline. We're in this friendship forever." He kissed her forehead caringly and gave her an adorable grin.

Caroline laughed at herself, at them, and at this moment she was currently living in.

"I wonder if I will ever get over feeling this way about you."

"You will. I'm sure of it. All it takes is just the right guy to come along."

"I think I know who that special guy might be. I just hope it's not too late," she said worriedly.

"It's never too late if it's right." Stefan trailed the back of his fingers down the side of her face, then wiped a tear away from her cheek with the pad of his thumb.

**(Outside the kitchen)**

"Damon! Where is that bottle?" Bonnie nagged.

"Oh! Oh! I got it." Damon burst in to the kitchen and began whistling. He rushed over to Stefan, grabbed the bottle, removed the nipple, and placed it in to the microwave, still whistling. He whirl around to Caroline and Stefan, a knowing grin on his face and winked.

Stefan and Caroline rolled their eyes at him.

"Is not anything sacred Damon," Stefan said and then walked out. Caroline followed.

"Hey, Caroline. Can we talk?" Damon inquired, halting her steps.

"What do you want Damon," she answered, irritated.

"I overheard the conversation between you and my brother, and I thought that I would offer you my advice."

"Ugh," Caroline grunted, then tried to leave the kitchen, again, but Damon vamp sped in front of her.

"Caroline, I only want to be a confidant to you, considering what just happened." he argued convincingly.

"You? Want to be my friend?" she replied as if he were being absurd. She let out an incredulous chuckle.

"Caroline, I know what I did to you was awful."

"You compelled me to not be afraid of you and then you had your way with me. You talked to me like I was shit and now you want to be my friend?"

Damon's shoulders sunk and his eyes drooped as he looked at an infuriated Caroline. He immediately thought about his daughter in this inflammatory moment. It made him sick to his stomach when he thought about someone doing to Natasha what he had done to Caroline.

"I'm sorry Caroline. I hurt you. I was wrong. I was a monster, but let's try to resolve this. Let me make an amends. Tell me how you feel. Punch me. Stab me in the gut, but let's do this for Bonnie. Let's stop pretending that I never hurt you. Let's quit ignoring the elephant in the room," he expressed passionately as the veins in his neck extended and his face turned beet red.

Caroline relaxed her body and let his words sink into her cognizance. She then zeroed in on Natasha crying outside the kitchen entrance. She realized in this inescapable moment that Bonnie and Damon were indeed a married couple and that they were both an incredibly nosey duo too.

Caroline speeded to the microwave, grabbed the bottle, and raced it back to Damon.

A goofy grinned covered his face as he looked down at the bottle. He slyly reached it around the corner to a surprised Bonnie.

Bonnie stepped into view, a humiliated look on her face. "Heeey… you two, thank you."

They looked gawkily at each other. Bonnie's eyes bounced between Caroline's and Damon's. "Uh," she uttered, then scurried away.

"Where were we?" Damon continually held onto his goofy grin in an effort to forget the unplanned intrusion.

"What you did to me was horrible Damon, but I have no desire to get even with you. Your fucked up relationship with Elena was bad enough, but don't expect for us to be best friends anytime soon, and if I can stomach you for Elena, then I sure as hell can tolerate you for Bonnie."

"Okay good, but…" He was cut off.

"Oh God what!" she yelled.

"Though I apologize for past incidents, I'm still not above ripping out your heart and shoving it down your throat if you so much as look at Bonnie the wrong way. Are we clear?"

"Very." She rolled her eyes at him and marched out of the kitchen.

A goofy grin flashed across Damon's face. He felt proud of himself for trying to do the right thing by Bonnie's friends. His soul actually felt a little lighter. With Elena, Damon never truly changed. He did the bare minimum to get by with her. He had her love. He knew she'd forgive him no matter what he did, but with Bonnie, things were different. He had to be accountable for his choices, and now that he had a child, he knew he had to set a good example for her.

Damon's life was no longer the same, and with those changes, he had to change too.

( ~ )

Everyone had gone for the night. Stefan took Lucy out for dinner and a movie. Kai went searching for his family, and Caroline went home. Damon and Bonnie decided to have a late dinner and clean up the kitchen whilst Melissa and Tyler looked after Natasha.

Bonnie cleared the dishes and Damon loaded them in to the dishwasher.

There was a peacefulness that filled the air as they dragged themselves around the kitchen, not a care in the world. It had been an entire week and they still had not mentioned Shing. Damon wanted to talk to Bonnie about their arch nemesis, but he was too happy to talk about such a vulgar topic at present. He decided to wait until a more befitting time.

He figured that they would deal with Shing when he showed up. Now that Lucy and Stefan were back, and Natasha was here, he felt their chances of ending the warlock once and for all were really good.

"I think everything looks pretty good," Bonnie said, interrupting the silence.

Damon looked around the kitchen. He was pleased with what he saw. "Cool," he said. He filled the pocket inside the dishwasher with soap, then started it.

Bonnie grabbed two bottles of water from the refrigerator and exited the kitchen with Damon on her heels.

"Go on up to bed. I'll lock up." Damon walked to the patio doors, making sure they were locked, and then closed the drapes. He vamp sped to the front door. He stepped outside the house and looked around the front yard with a keen eye. The night had a peaceful quietness to it. It was both exhilarating and terrifying all at once because there was always a serene silence before the storm.

"Hey man, you locked me out," Tyler said as he came strolling up the walkway.

"Where the hell were you?" Damon asked with a squinted gaze.

"I was taking a stroll around the house, making sure everything's okay." Tyler answered as he looked up at Damon from the bottom of the steps with his hands on his hips.

Damon looked seriously at him for a minute. His appearance then softened. "You're a good man, Tyler, and a good friend to Bonnie. Thank you."

Tyler widened his eyes, stunned by Damon's remark. "Thanks man, and that's what friends do. They look out for each other."

"True," Damon replied. They stared respectfully at each other for a minute before Damon broke their moment. "You coming inside?" He pointed at the entrance with his thumb.

"No, not now. I'm going to stay out here for a few minutes, take in some fresh air. Send Melissa down, will you?"

"Sure," Damon nodded before going back inside and closing the door behind him. He flashed upstairs. He peeped inside Melissa's room since the door was wide open. She wasn't there. He heard talking in his room and realized Melissa was with Bonnie.

He entered the bedroom and walked to the sound of their voices. They were in the bathroom, bathing Natasha. Damon leaned against the frame of the door and happily watched Melissa and Bonnie wash Natasha in the sink.

"It's almost over Natasha," Bonnie said sweetly to her cranky baby.

"She's angry with you Bonnie," Melissa added and then smiled.

Damon finally decided to interrupt them as he was now anxious to take Melissa's place.

"Hey ladies."

"Hey," Melissa greeted back.

"Melissa, Tyler's outside. He wants you to join him."

"Oh, okay. Well goodnight you two." She swiftly left the room, leaving Bonnie and Damon alone.

Damon eased into Melissa spot quite nicely. He wore a goofy grin on his face as he attentively watched Bonnie wipe Natasha's delicate body parts. Natasha's light fretting turned into full on crying. She was tired and hungry.

"Hey, stop all that crying," Damon said, deepening his voice, then sniggered.

Natasha instantly stopped crying at the sound of his voice. Her pale, blue eyes searched for the masculine sound as she lightly cooed and timidly wiggled her arms about.

"Who is that man Natasha? Yeah, yeah," Bonnie said playfully.

"Awww, your baby talk is so cute," Damon teased.

"I know right, now grab that towel."

Damon opened Natasha's towel and Bonnie placed her delicately inside. Damon made sure his little girl was wrapped tightly. He lightly pat dried her hair as he walked slowly in to their bedroom.

Bonnie walked behind them and dreamily watched Damon.

Her eyes wandered from his black combat boots, to his stonewashed jeans, and they lingered on his buns of steel. She stared aimlessly at his back and his strong biceps. She melted inside at seeing his strong arms holding and coddling her baby. Damon made the mistake of kissing Natasha on the forehead and Bonnie Bennett turned into mush. She deeply and loudly sighed which caught Damon's attention.

Damon spun around, his brow cocked curiously at her. "What?"

"Oh nothing. I'll get her clothes." Bonnie's youthful moment went as quickly as it came.

Bonnie rushed Natasha's one piece pajamas over to Damon and some other needed items.

Damon laid Natasha on top of the bed and finished drying her off. He rubbed her down with baby lotion. He lifted his hands to his nose to get a good whiff of her lavender scented cream.

"Oh, that's heaven," he whispered and Bonnie sniggered.

"You should get this excited when she makes a dirty," Bonnie mocked.

"Oh my god, whew." Damon shook his head and turned up his nose. Bonnie laughed at his reaction.

"Diaper," he said.

"Check." Bonnie handed it swiftly to him.

"T-shirt." Damon held out his hand.

"Yes doctor," Bonnie flirted.

"Behave Nurse Bennett," Damon joked as he fussed with Natasha's t-shirt. "Jesus this kid is strong."

"Just slip the shirt over her arms and stop trying to put them in to the sleeves," Bonnie sassed.

"Oops." Damon tittered.

"Now we know where Natasha gets her extreme intelligence." Bonnie winked.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, and you better not tell Tyler about this."

Bonnie let out a hearty laugh.

"You can stop laughing now." Damon gave her a displeasing look and snatched Natasha's pajamas away from Bonnie. She continued cackling. "I'm not laughing because it's been a week and you still don't know how to dress our baby. I'm laughing because Damon the serial killer changes diapers."

Instead of Bonnie's comment perking Damon up, she caused him to sink deep into thought about his way of life. He stood straight and looked down at the front and back of his hands. "I've killed dozens and dozens of people with these hands. Now I'm changing diapers." The words rolled off of his lips as if he couldn't believe the man he used to be and still could be if someone threatened him, his family, or his way of life.

Bonnie noticed the change in his behavior right away. She pressed her hand against his milky, cheek. "Hey, don't focus on the past. Think about what we have now and the man you are today. The man you want to be."

Damon laid his hand on top of hers and caressed it with the pad of his thumb. "You think I'm capable of being a better person?" he asked with a squinted gaze.

"There's hope for you Damon, and you've already proven to me that you're capable of making better choices."

"Yeah…" Damon was cut off by Natasha's crying.

"Someone's hungry." Bonnie picked up Natasha and walked her over to the rocking chair. She lifted her shirt and held Natasha up to her breasts. Natasha greedily began sucking on it before Bonnie completely inserted her nipple.

Damon sat in the large chair across from Bonnie and acutely watched as she nursed their child. Bonnie and Damon had been together for several months now. In that several months, they were still learning and seeing things about their relationship and each other that amazed them.

Damon's silvery, blue eyes twinkled and widened at the sight of Bonnie breasts feeding and being so attentive to his child- his child.

He was now a father. There was a newborn in the house and she belonged to him.

Bonnie kissed Natasha on the forehead and folded her leg underneath her bottom all while feeding Natasha. Damon scooted to the edge of the chair. He was totally captivated by Bonnie as he rested his chin on his hand and loudly sighed.

"You're a hot MILF," he announced in a seductive voice.

Bonnie's jaw dropped and she snatched her wide eyed gaze to him, stunned by his comment. "Damon," she said in utter shock.

"Well you are Bonnie. I can pretend you're not but it'd be a lie." He shrugged.

"Oh my god," she grunted. A minute later, Bonnie let out a bashful giggle. Damon winked.

Natasha was finally asleep. Bonnie wiped the milk from her mouth, burped her, and she fell fast asleep.

Damon took Natasha from Bonnie and laid her down in bed.

Bonnie walked over to Natasha's basinet to where Damon was. She placed her arm around his waist and they both smiled down at their sleeping newborn.

"It still seems so hard to believe that we have a baby." Bonnie leaned in to the bed and softly rubbed Natasha's back.

"It's so hard to believe, and she's so beautiful," he said, amazed. "How did we get such a good looking kid?"

"Because we're hot, duh," Bonnie said playfully.

"This is true," he replied, then chuckled.

They gushed over their baby a few more minutes longer when Bonnie remembered that her feet hurt. "I need to lie down." She kissed Natasha good night one last time and dragged herself to bed.

Bonnie removed her sneakers, socks, jeans, and her bra.

Damon's pale, blue eyes sparkled at the sight of Bonnie in her off the shoulder shirt that showcased her flawless, tawny shoulder. He licked his lips as he remembered how soft and wonderful Bonnie smelt. His eyes then wandered down over her perfect tone legs and her adorable toes.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, closed his eyes, and tried to purge the sexy thoughts that were forming in his mind away.

Damon sat down beside Bonnie. She grabbed the throw at the end of the bed and laid down. Damon sniggered. "You're too tired to put on your night gown, huh?" he asked.

"What's the point? She'll be up in half an hour, hungry, or she'll need a diaper change."

Damon slightly nodded in agreement. He then removed his clothing. He climbed in to bed and crawled beside Bonnie. He covered his legs with the throw, gently shoved an arm underneath Bonnie's head and placed his other arm over her waist.

Bonnie ran her hand down his hairy arm seductively. Her scorching touch elicited a desirous feeling within him, his loins throbbed and tingled with desire with one simple graze of her warm fingers. He gently rocked his hips against her rump. Bonnie closed her eyes, relishing the feeling of his stiffness rubbing up against her thin panties.

Damon's movements had become so vigorous that Bonnie found herself quickly turning around to him. She crashed her lips against his as she roughly grabbed his head and pulled at his raven hair. They became locked in a heated and deep kiss.

Damon's head bobbed and weaved over Bonnie's as their tongues swirled in harmony around each other's. His powerful kiss had knocked the wind out of her. He pushed her into the bed and traced his fingers down her top. He lifted her shirt, then slowly pushed his hand down in to her panties.

His middle digit instantly found her throbbing clit. Damon quickly circled his finger around her tender spot as his thumb played in her lady garden. Bonnie feverishly rotated her hips beneath his hand. She lowly moaned as Damon ran moist kisses down her neck and nibbled on her ear. He eagerly worked himself underneath her shirt. He tugged, suckled and licked her nipples feverishly, tasting the sweet nectar that flowed from her breasts.

"Oh God, I want you inside me so badly," she said in an exasperated voice.

"We can't. You just had the baby," he whispered against her breasts.

Damon worked his smooches back up to Bonnie's neck and softly pecked her moist lips before hovering over her. Bonnie ran her fingers through the back of his hair, her emerald eyes were now staring yearningly into a sea of blue eyes.

"I love you Damon."

"I love you too, Bonnie," he said back before drifting into her for another kiss. He pressed his lips repeatedly against hers before deepening the kiss.

This time the kiss was slow, passionate, chill provoking as they rotated their hips lightly against each other's, torturing themselves further. Damon kissed her deeply as he fisted her shirt and briskly massaged her breasts. Bonnie moved her hands wildly over his strong, bare back as she opened her mouth wider to receive more of him.

Damon finally found the strength to retract himself from their serious lip locking. He rested his forehead on hers. They lightly blew into each other's faces as that provocative feeling dwindled. He kissed her lips a few more times. He simply couldn't break away from her warm inviting orifice. He laid down, snuggling close to Bonnie's heavenly body.

Bonnie ghosted her digits down his hairy arm before intertwining his fingers with hers.

Bonnie hummed as she relaxed her body. Damon closed his eyes. His lips curled into an affectionate grin as he submerged deeper in to the mattress.

They snuggled in bed as if their hot make out session had never happened.

"I think we should ask Melissa and Tyler to be Natasha's God parents," Bonnie said, distracting her dirty thoughts.

"That's a great idea." Damon approved.

"Did you notice how weird Eva acted today? Natasha seem to get really upset whenever she was near," Bonnie explained worriedly.

"Yeah, I noticed that too. Tyler seem to be more on edge with Eva around as well. I hope nothing comes of this," he added.

"You don't think Eva is…" she stopped herself mid-sentence.

"I don't know Bonnie, but we can't be too careful about anyone, not even our friends and family anymore."

"Yeah, you're right," she replied. Everything went silent as they laid in bed, drifting off into slumber.

Damon's eyes closed and he instantly smiled as visions of his time in the fantasy world with Natasha came trickling into his braid. He lowly chuckled.

"What's funny?" Bonnie asked lazily.

"I'm thinking about the out of body experience I had of Natasha and me."

"Oh, is that when you took the potion?"

"Yeah."

"What was it like?"

"It was weird. It was an edible universe, and Natasha and I did whatever we wanted. We ate tons of chocolate cake; we went swimming in a bed of feathers. It was amazing Bonnie," he explained dreamily.

Bonnie wondrously sighed as she tried to imagine the world that Damon had just described, "Oh wow, so you saw what Natasha will look like when she's older?"

"Yes, she's as angelic when she's older as she is now. Her hair was down to her back. She looked to be between five or seven and she wore the frilliest of dresses. It was perfect." Damon exhaled happily.

"We should take the potion together," Bonnie announced.

Damon hastily lifted his body from off the bed. He looked down at Bonnie with a narrow gaze. "Are you sure?"

Bonnie nodded, elated.

Damon jumped out of bed and ran to the dresser. He pulled the pouch containing the magic powder out of the drawer and ran it over to Bonnie. She grabbed one of the bottles of water. She opened it and drank most of it. She then gave the bottle to Damon who drank more of the water, leaving the bottle half full.

"Turn on the lamp," he rushed out.

He turned the bag upside down, allowing the powder to pour down in to the bottle of water. He snatched the sack away when he believed a tablespoon of the contents had been emptied in to it. He shook the bottle rapidly, making sure the contents mixed fully in with the liquid.

Damon looked skeptically at Bonnie, "Are you sure you want to do this? You all said I behaved pretty badly after taking it."

"I don't care. I just want to see Natasha," she answered eagerly.

Damon handed the bottle to Bonnie. She drank the tonic first, then him.

"Okay, so all we do now is wait," he said.

…and wait, they did.

Ten minutes later, they drifted down to the bed, their pupils dilated. The dark bedroom they once were in, was now glowing and filled with a sparkling dust and radiant sunbeams. Damon was no longer in his underwear and Bonnie was no longer wearing her panties and t-shit.

Bonnie was now in a long, flowing, glittery, white gown and her hair was up in a bond and Damon was in his black jeans and a black t-shirt. He looked down at his attire and rolled his eyes. "Typical," he said nonchalantly.

Bonnie laughed. "Apparently, I'm in the mood for a ball." She chuckled again as she looked down at her outfit.

"I think you look hot," Damon flattered.

"You're not so bad yourself."

…and just like before, Natasha materialized from out of nowhere.

"Momma!" she shouted as she came bouncing over to Bonnie, her chestnut hair bounced wildly behind her. Natasha leaped in to the bed and hurriedly crawled over to Bonnie. She straddled her mother and wrapped her arms around her.

"My baby! You're so big!" Bonnie shouted with tears in her eyes and Damon beamed at them the entire time.

"Hi daddy." Natasha kissed him quickly on the cheek, then snuggled back into her mother's embrace.

"Natasha your daddy tells me you two went swimming in a bed of feathers," Bonnie said hilariously.

Natasha slapped her forehead and loudly sighed. "Not you too momma."

Bonnie and Damon laughed.

"Come on, show your mother what we did!" Damon bellowed.

…and just like before, they were riding on tri-cycles, stirring up the chocolate road. Bonnie's gown dragged the ground and her six inch heels kept slipping off the paddles, but that didn't stop her from enjoying herself and her family of three.

They ran through a vast liquorish field and Bonnie complained about candy being stuck on her shoes. Damon and Natasha picked large taffy balls from a tree. Damon would lift her high above his head. She'd grab a treat, take a bite of it, and then hold it up to her father's mouth for him to take a bite of the delight too.

Bonnie watched them with a wondrous look. Her sensible mind couldn't grasp it all.

"This is not Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory," Bonnie said with a wrinkled brow. "Whose fantasy is this?"

"It's mine." Damon answered. Bonnie cocked her head at his response. She had never seen Damon Salvatore look so altruistic whilst being so alluring and dangerously good looking, too.

"Cotton Candy trees Damon?" she sassily questioned.

"Where is your imagination Bonnie Bennett!" Damon shot back. "I like sweet things…like you." He winked.

"Not in front of our child," she reprimanded.

"You're no fun Bennett, but I can change all that." Out of nowhere, chocolate and raspberry syrup balloons appeared. "Oooh, I am so devious," Damon whispered as he looked down at the balloons.

"Damon, you wouldn't." Bonnie backed away from him and Natasha.

"Oh, but I would, Bonnie." Damon picked up one of the balloons and hurled it at her.

It was a direct hit to her chest. Bonnie looked down at the large chocolate stain on her white gown and glared at Damon.

A stunned expression covered Natasha's face.

"Natasha don't you dare." Bonnie watched Natasha pick up a balloon, and Bonnie took off. Her heels and the liquorish fought fiercely against her.

"Get the mean lady!" Natasha yelled. She ran after her mother and threw the balloon at Bonnie which hit her smack dab on the ass.

"Ahh! Natasha!" Bonnie let out an embellished laugh as she grabbed her ass, smearing raspberry goo all over herself.

Bonnie continued to try and run through the field with her strap on heels, screaming. "This is not a fantasy!" she screeched as Natasha and Damon continued to hurl balloons at her, covering her white gown with chocolate and raspberry splats.

Before Bonnie knew it, they had leaped frog to another location. It was the infamous pool of feathers. Only this time, it was an actual pool, not Damon's massive bed.

"Oh my god, it's a pool of feathers! She screeched. Bonnie took off her shoes, ran across the diving board and dove right in. Natasha and Damon were right behind her.

"Oh my God, this is ridiculous!" Bonnie screamed with excitement.

Like the time before, whatever they did in their fantasy, their bodies mimicked in real time. Bonnie and Damon dove off the bed, one by one, right down onto the floor. By this time Lucy and Stefan had made it home. They ran upstairs to Bonnie's and Damon's room to see where the loud thumping noise was emanating from.

"What the hell," Lucy whispered in horror after she and Stefan witnessed the spectacle for a little over three minutes.

"Bonnie, Damon, stop this!" Lucy yelled as she tried to grab Bonnie, but the moment she let Bonnie go, she was back at it.

"Damon wake up! Wake up!" Stefan slapped his brother's face over and over, trying to wake him.

Bonnie and Damon were back on the foot of the bed, again. Bonnie jumped first.

"OOOOOH!" Lucy and Stefan recoiled at seeing Bonnie smack the floor with a loud thump.

"I heard something crack. I am positive she broke a rib," Stefan said, horrified.

Damon went next.

"OOOHH!" Lucy and Stefan cringed after he hit the floor with a loud thunderous thud.

"Oh my God, Stefan, he just knocked his tooth out! He's nose is practically on the side of his face! We have to stop them!"

"Aye, I'm okay with it," Stefan answered happily.

"Well I'm helping Bonnie. She's going to kill herself."

Stefan vamp sped to Bonnie. He rushed her to one of the chairs and gave her some of his blood to heal her wounds. Lucy spelled her to the chair and covered her with a throw.

"Stefan, push Natasha's basinet over here next to Bonnie. Damon might jump on her," Lucy suggested.

"Good idea," Stefan flashed the baby bed next to Bonnie.

Lucy and Stefan watched Damon a few more minutes. Lucy waved her hand at Damon and went to bed. Stefan leaned against the dresser, whipped out his cellphone and start filming. "Sometimes life pours you lemonade." An evil grin crept across his lips.


	24. Chapter 24: Welcome to my Humble Abode

**A/N: **I know it took me a long time to update this story.

I've been doing some major re-editing on my other stories along with a beta. Praise GOD! I have a few that I'm working with, so hopefully this should cut down on all the mistakes. I want to give you guys the best. If you see something messed up, drop me a PM, or send me a gentle nudge in your review. Please let me know if you have a favorite scene, moment, or line as this helps with story ideas, etc.

**Oblivion Chapter 24: Welcome to my Humble Abode **

Natasha was the first to wake between her mother and father. Bonnie opened her eyes little by little, breaking the sleep away from her lashes at the sound of her daughter's voice. She tried to get up from the chair, but her body was bound tight to the chaise.

"Remissionis," Lucy spoke as she entered the room with a confident stride, stepping over Damon as she marched over to Natasha and Bonnie. She was fully dressed in her stressed jeans, stilettoes, and her bat sleeve chiffon blouse at seven in the morning.

Bonnie threw the covering off of her once she was free from Lucy's spell. "Thanks," she said, leaning down to pick up Natasha. Bonnie stood, looked at Lucy, wondering how Lucy knew she needed her at this precise moment.

Bonnie bounced her infant gently in her arms in an effort to soothe her.

"How did you know I was up, and why did you bind me to the chair?" Bonnie asked suspiciously, her brow crumpled.

"Baby monitor, and don't be stupid Bonnie. I know Sheila trained you better." Lucy frowned.

"Ugh," Bonnie sighed and turned her back to Lucy, pacing the floor with Natasha.

"You and Damon were on some hallucinogenic drugs weren't you? You know how dangerous that stuff can be for a mortal?"

"I'm a witch." Bonnie huffed.

"You're a human being with powers, Bonnie. There's a difference."

Bonnie looked regretfully at Lucy for a second, then rolled her eyes because she knew her cousin was right.

"Okay Lucy," Bonnie widened her eyes, frustrated. "I know what I did was wrong, but I wanted to see what my baby would look like as a little girl. I swear I'll never do something like this again."

The tension in Lucy's face eased. A short, soft giggle escaped her lips. She was suddenly reminded of how reckless she was with magic when she was Bonnie's age. She shook her head, smiling, and then wrapped an arm around Bonnie's shoulder and kissed the side of her forehead.

"Okay, I'll ease up. It's not like I'm your mother, and I too… used to do some pretty irresponsible things with my power." Lucy laughed.

"No, you're not my mother, but I do think of you as a big sister. You remind me so much of Zinnia back in Gardenia." Bonnie began to feel sad as she thought about her good friend back on new Earth. She suddenly wished that Zinnia was there with her. She wished for Zinnia and Tupac to see Natasha while she was still an infant.

"You really miss her, don't you?" Lucy asked as she witnessed Bonnie's eyes collect with tears.

"I miss her, so much, Lucy. You have no idea."

"Why don't we send her a magical note that will transport her and her family here?" Lucy suggested.

"A note?" Bonnie narrowed her gaze peculiarly at her cousin's proposal.

"You know, we can send her a magical letter that will activate once she's ready to leave. We can create the spell so that it doesn't trigger until she reads the assigned word or sentence." She broke off. "Make sure she doesn't recite it aloud until she's ready to go."

They laughed.

"Okay, let's do it after breakfast." Bonnie grinned big and bright.

"Uhhmmm, god," Damon let out a loud groan as he pushed himself woozily away from the floor. He stood up, rubbed his shoulder and rotated his neck, working out the kinks in his muscles. "What the hell?" he looked around the room, his face wrinkled all up. "I'm guessing I slept on the floor last night?"

Lucy and Bonnie shook their heads, smiling.

"I'll get breakfast started, and I'll bring you a bottle for Natasha. There's no way you're breastfeeding her now after having that poison in your system." Lucy widened her eyes knowingly at Bonnie and then left the room.

Bonnie rolled her eyes and shook her head at Lucy's chastising retort.

"What was that all about?" Damon asked as he walked over to Bonnie and Natasha.

"Ugh, you don't want to know," Bonnie replied, bothered.

"How's my baby girl?" Damon skillfully took a cooing Natasha from her mother.

He smiled, kissed her forehead, and put her over his shoulder. Natasha began to fret as she suckled profusely on her tiny fist in an attempt to feed herself.

"Now, now," Damon said in his deep, raspy voice against Natasha's fresh baby scented and soft, curly locks.

Bonnie positioned her hand over Damon's as he held Natasha securely in his arms, caressing her back. They were both so taken with their little girl, and Bonnie was even more taken with seeing Damon be the loving father.

"No matter how many times I see you hold our baby, I still have to convince myself that we have a child together," Bonnie said with a starry-eyed look.

Damon looked at her, his eyes blaring bright with happiness. "We have this beautiful little girl. We're in love. Is this real?" his voice lowered with astonishment.

"This is real, Damon. You and me, we're real."

"Yes we are, now give me a kiss." Damon tilted his head down to kiss Bonnie on the lips.

"Mmm, good sugar," Bonnie flirted after kissing Damon's lips.

Natasha's fretting soon turned into full on crying.

"I think someone needs a diaper change," Damon said.

"…and a bottle," Bonnie added. "Here, let me change her."

"Nooo, let me. I need the practice. She's my baby, too," Damon playfully sulked.

"Stop being such a drama queen." Bonnie chuckled at Damon's absurd remark.

They both walked over to the baby changing bench. Everything they did with Natasha was a joint project.

Damon laid Natasha down onto the padded table and removed her clothing whilst Bonnie whipped out the diapers, baby powder, and wipes.

"Whoa, she's soaked. No wonder you're so cranky." He frowned at seeing his baby so miserable.

Bonnie's eyes were fixed attentively on Damon while he changed Natasha's diaper. He dexterously cleaned her with the wipes. He opened the diaper without a hitch, pushed it under her, and then sprinkled a little baby powder on her bottom.

"Voila!" Damon taped the tabs down to the diaper and lightly pat Natasha's belly before sending Bonnie a proud smirk. He wanted to make sure she saw how good he did.

"You're getting better at this." Bonnie nodded and smiled.

"Yes, I am." He gave Bonnie a goofy grin.

o. O. o.

Lucy met Damon and Bonnie at the end of the stairwell with Natasha's bottle. Bonnie decided to feed Natasha in the living room so that she and Lucy could talk more about the spell to bring Zinnia and Tupac to Mystic Falls, planet Earth.

Stefan was in the kitchen cooking breakfast for everyone. Damon decided to help his brother cook for their ladies and leave Bonnie and Lucy to bond and hang out with each other.

Damon walked into the kitchen, smiling, stars in his eyes from being overjoyed with his baby girl and Bonnie.

He soon lost his contentment when he saw Stefan and Tyler looking at a cellphone, laughing hysterically at something.

"What are you two laughing about?" Damon asked seriously as he walked over to the coffee pot and poured himself a cup.

"Oh nothing," Tyler answered, then sniggered.

Damon was eager to know why his brother and Tyler were so jovial. He stepped a little closer, zoomed in with his vampire vision and heightened hearing to see himself jumping off his bed and down onto the floor.

"OHHH!" Stefan and Tyler shouted, recoiled, and grabbed their guts at seeing Damon crashing to the floor whilst in his trance like state.

Damon slammed his coffee down onto the countertop. The contents of his cup splashed out and onto the granite surface. "What the hell!" he exclaimed in a raised voice.

He snatched the phone away from Stefan's hand and watched in horror at how he behaved the night before. He then zoomed in on what looked like an injured Bonnie lying on the chaise with a throw over her.

"Did… did... did Bonnie get hurt?" He asked in a breathy voice, a look of panic and concern in his eyes.

"Yeah, I think she broke a couple of ribs. I gave her some of my blood," Stefan answered nonchalantly.

Damon shoved Stefan's phone into his chest, so hard that he stumbled slightly back on his feet.

"Damon… hey, it's okay," Stefan said, concerned, watching his brother march out of the kitchen in a fit of fury.

"Bonnie! Why didn't you warn me about what that potion could do to us? You could've of died!" He yelled as he came barging into the living room, a severe look on his face.

"I better see what's taking breakfast so long." Lucy hurriedly got up from the couch, avoiding Damon's dagger eyes as she passed him on her way out.

"I did Damon," she shot back.

"You told me I behaved oddly. You never said a word about how I imitated everything I did in the fantasy world."

'I'm sorry Damon. I didn't think it mattered."

"Of course it matters. What if you had gotten seriously hurt, or worse?"

"I don't need this," Bonnie said under her breathe as she removed the bottle from Natasha's mouth and sat it down on the coffee table.

Damon glared at her with his hands on his hips as he watched her place the burping cloth over her shoulder and then Natasha.

"So, you're going to ignore me?" he huffed.

"No, I'm not ignoring you. Calm your nerves; sit down, and stop being so dramatic." Bonnie responded in a calm and collected manner.

Damon loudly exhaled and combed his fingers roughly through his hair. He stared at her for a second before walking over and sitting down beside her.

"I promise. We will never do drugs, or experiment with psychedelic potions ever again," Bonnie said cutely and then smiled.

"Good, because you could've…"

"Un, un, no more fussing. It's already been decided, but you have to admit, it was nice seeing and talking to Natasha." Bonnie gloated with a wondrous expression.

Damon looked out into the room, dreamy-eyed and a slight grin on his lips. "It was nice to see her, walking and talking. She's so beautiful. I can't wait until she's older."

"Don't wish that on her, Damon. I don't want Natasha to sprout up. I want to enjoy our infant as long as we can." Bonnie kissed Natasha on her cheek. She'd had her fill, Bonnie burped her, and she'd fallen fast asleep in her mother's arms.

"You're right; we can't rush our little baby along." Damon held his arms out for Natasha. Bonnie handed her over. Natasha let out soft, little grunts and slightly fretted as she went from one pair of loving arms to another.

"Look, I can hold her with one hand," Damon joked.

"Damon, don't drop my baby."

"Your baby? It takes two to make a baby, Bon Bon. I was very much present when making this little princess." He winked. Bonnie shook her head at his smart aleck comment.

"Look, she likes it. She's grinning." Damon chuckled as he held Natasha like a football over his lap and lightly bounced her from side to side, a crooked little grin on Natasha's face.

"She's not grinning. She probably has gas."

"No, she's grinning because I'm electric," Damon said cockily. Bonnie's body slightly jerked forward as she pushed out a snicker.

Damon then burst into a fit of laughter at Natasha, tooting against his arm.

"What?" Bonnie furrowed her brow, bemused.

"She's not grinning." Damon laughed.

o. O. o.

"Bonnie, I think I've come up with the perfect spell." Lucy walked swiftly into Bonnie's and Damon's bedroom, spell book and salt in hand, ready to perform magic.

"Spell?" Damon inquired as he stood by the bed, folding clothes with Bonnie.

"I'm going to see if I can bring Tupac and Zinnia here." Bonnie divulged excitedly after turning to face Damon.

"Really? That's great. I would love for them to see Natasha, our home," Damon said equally thrilled.

"Let me see the spell." Bonnie ran over to Lucy and read over the enchantment. "Oh yeah, I can do this in my sleep," she boasted.

"Oh, you can, huh?" Lucy laughed.

Bonnie grabbed a tablet, a pen, and wrote a short letter to Zinnia and folded it several times so that it was small enough to conceal in the palm of her hand. The triggering word, was simply, "Natasha." Bonnie even sounded out her daughter's name to make sure there were no mistakes in getting the spell to work.

Bonnie sat down in the middle of the room and placed the book down in front of her. She used the salt to draw a circle around the folded up letter.

Lucy came and stood over Bonnie, wearing a sad expression. "I know you don't need your old cousin, but…"

"Nonsense. Sit down, let's do this together." Bonnie smiled up at her.

Lucy hurried to the other side of Bonnie and sat cross-legged in front of her. They read over the spell together, memorizing it.

"You ready?" Bonnie asked. Lucy nodded.

Lucy and Bonnie closed their eyes and began chanting. What seemed like a simple charm was actually quite big as it would harbor Bonnie's and Lucy's power in a single sheet of paper, becoming the key to opening up a portal.

Damon stood paralyzed, in awe of Bonnie with a wondrous look in his eyes and his lips slightly parted. He adored watching Bonnie perform magic.

Just like with any spell, the evidence of it was in the inanimate objects in the room. The lights flickered, curtains fluttered in a sudden waft of shifting air, and any loose paper mounted the breeze to float in the magic infused atmosphere.

Several minutes later, a tiny opening appeared over the circle of salt and folded paper. The spelt letter floated up to the miniscule portal, then zipped right through.

"Whoa," Damon voiced, astounded over such a minor thing, and then braced himself for what was to come next.

Everything in the room went back to normal in a blink. Bonnie and Lucy slowly peeled their eyes open. They had performed two spells, together. The magical letter, and opening up the wormhole to new Earth. Bonnie and Lucy looked over at a dumbfounded Damon who was still braced for impact.

Damon cautiously opened one eye, peeking around, "That's it?" he questioned as he finally opened both eyes wide.

"He's something else," Lucy said, and they laughed.

o. O. o.

It had been over 10 days since Bonnie had left Gardenia. Zinnia thought that she would be okay with Bonnie's departure. She was sure that things would return to some type of normalcy after a few days, but found anything but a routine life. She felt sad, worried, and this wasn't who she was. Her new emotions weren't habit.

Zinnia had four brothers and no sisters. Bonnie was the closest thing she had to a sister in all of her life. Of course she loved the women in her village. Some she did love like a sister, but they didn't need her. She didn't have that same connection with them as she had with Bonnie.

Bonnie was broken, and Zinnia enjoyed helping her find the missing pieces in her life. She enjoyed teaching Bonnie about self-love; how to relax and open up about her feelings.

Her relationship with Bonnie was exactly what she'd imagine what having a little sister would be like.

Zinnia languished around her house all day. She would clean up and sit down all throughout the morning and afternoon. Everything she did, or anything she would pick up reminded her of Bonnie. She'd pick up one of her cute tube dresses and thought of Bonnie. She spotted the sweet rolls on the kitchen table that Bonnie loved so much and reminisced about Bonnie.

Zinnia would make a cup of tea with the yellow fruit and then smile at how Bonnie loved it so much. It had all become too much and almost unbearable at times to try and have a normal day, to make herself focus on the things that she needed to do for her family, husband, and the village.

She was the first lady of Gardenia now. She had more responsibilities. She couldn't afford to be out of it. She had to stay on task. Even though the community was now quiet, slow, and dull since her guest and all the excitement had gone, she still needed to be alert and to keep her wits about her.

No matter how reserved and boring things were in Gardenia, there were always some individuals who took advantage of others. There were troubles at the tavern, or at the fine brothel on the outskirts of hamlet. She needed to gain control of her faculties and push her melancholy to the far reaches of her mind.

Zinnia jumped up from her comfortable sofa, grabbed the basket of soiled clothes, and rushed out of the house. She had to clear her head and fight the dolefulness that covered her. She looked up at the sun and then down at her bracelet, remembering how Bonnie gave her the gift of still being able to enjoy the daylight even though she was a vampire.

She sped down to the creek, another place that reminded her of Bonnie. She tiredly pulled some clothes out of her basket and began to launder them. As Zinnia washed her clothes, the note that Bonnie and Lucy had sent to her, dropped from out of the sky, and down into the water right in front of her.

Zinnia hastily reached to grab the note from the water before it was destroyed.

She opened it eagerly, and the light immediately returned to her eyes when she saw that the note was from Bonnie.

_My Dearest Zinnia, _

_ It's me, Bonnie… LOL! Oh, LOL means laugh out loud. I'm writing you to let you know that I miss you terribly, and that my cousin has found a way for you to visit me. _

_I've had the baby. She's a beautiful baby girl. I can't wait for you to meet her! However, I must forewarn you, Shing followed Damon and I home, so if you don't want to visit in light of this information, I will completely understand. I love you, and please read the following message as it is important information that will open the portal to get you and your family here._

_P.S. Once you and your family are ready to leave, say my daughter's name (written below) aloud, but only say her name when you're ready to leave, not before. You must leave once the portal opens. This spell is only good for one trip. Safe travels my friend. _

_(Natasha) pronounced Nuh – Tah – shuh._

As Zinnia read the letter, she teared up. She pressed her hand to her heart and began to lightly sob. She couldn't believe that she was hearing from Bonnie. Zinnia flashed back to town, leaving her basket of clothes behind.

She flew to the town hall, seeing Tupac the minute she burst through his office door.

"Bonnie had the baby! She and Damon are okay!" she quickly divulged, her voice cracking under her overwhelming emotions.

"Bonnie had the baby?! They're okay?!" Tupac jumped up from his desk, his arms wide and waiting to receive his wife into his loving and happy embrace.

Zinnia wildly nodded. "Yes!" She squealed and then hopped into his strong arms.

"They're okay," she lightly sobbed.

"Thanks be to all the gods," Tupac said lowly as he tighten his grip around Zinnia and closed his eyes, allowing happiness to flow into him.

"Oh, oh, there's more!" she pushed herself away from his hold.

"There's more?" Tupac furrowed his brow, confused, holding Zinnia by the elbows.

"If I say her daughter's name aloud, a portal will open up, and we can go and see them."

"What are we waiting for? Let's pack up our things and go," Tupac said excitedly, his eyes wide as saucers.

Zinnia's elation quickly drained from her demeanor the second she thought about the other part of the letter, warning them about Shing being in Mystic Falls, and how this news would affect Tupac's high spirits.

"Shing followed them home, Tupac," Zinnia said gravely.

"What?" he whispered, terrified. "This can't be."

"I know. What are we going to do?" she looked at him with a devastated and confused expression.

"We can't let them take on Shing alone. We have to go, right?" he looked at Zinnia with an extremely worried countenance, hoping that she had all the answers.

"We should definitely go, but are you okay with leaving our children behind?"

"They'll be safer here, then there," Tupac said as if her remark were ridiculous, and then chuckled.

Zinnia lightly laughed too, and then cried before crashing back into her husband's arms.

"God, I'm so afraid for them. What if Shing has already gotten to them?" she asked as she enfolded her husband snugly, her eyes closed.

"Don't think like that. Damon and Bonnie are fighters. I know that they are okay," Tupac comforted, but inside- he feared the worse.

o. O. o.

Elena had never felt so sick in her life. The guilt and complete devastation she felt over her life and the choices that she'd made had her downright nauseated just thinking about it.

She woke up, the sun blaring in her face. She wiped the sleep away from her eyes and prepared her body to move, but she couldn't. She kept seeing happy visions of her and Stefan running around in her head. Mostly it was the images of when they first met in front of the boys bathroom at school.

Her brain then played back when they broke up on her front porch. On the porch of the house that she had burned down, along with the memories of her family and everything else that she loved. The moment she remembered burning down her home, she began to feel bile churning violently inside her like a whirlwind and making the trek back up her throat.

She soared out of bed and ran to the bathroom. Only her sickness motivated her enough to get out of bed.

Elena stooped down over the toilet, vomiting. As the puke shot out of her mouth, she remembered her summer of sex with Damon and became even sicker.

Then she remembered the poor woman that she killed at the diner. As all the awful memories began to resurface, she wondered why all these things suddenly mattered and affected her now.

She pondered over why all the selfish and cruel things that she had done to her friends and family were so easily discarded. She questioned why she didn't remind herself that there would be consequences to her actions.

"Elena, are you okay?" Matt asked as he entered.

Elena turned to look at him, her eyes red, and her face flushed. She wiped the splatter of vomit away from her mouth as she continued to hold Matt's gaze.

"Why are you here, Matt?" she asked as if she couldn't even fathom why anyone would want to care about her wellbeing.

"I'm here because I care about you, Elena. I want to make sure you're okay."

"I don't deserve your friendship, Matt. I don't deserve any of my friends. Go away."

Matt stepped closer, ignoring her wishes. He knelt down on the floor beside her.

"We all need someone, Elena. You shouldn't be any different because you've made mistakes and some bad choices."

"But I've done so many horrible things," she murmured in a broken voice as her lips began to quiver.

"Things will get better, Elena." Matt wrapped his arms around her and pressed her seemingly fragile body firmly to his. "We're going to get through this, together"

Matt's words of encouragement prompted a flood of tears from a guilt-ridden Elena.

o. O. o.

Zinnia and Tupac packed light for their trip to planet Earth. They had no idea what it would be like, but they hoped to happen upon things that they could bring back home with them to help better their way of life.

They left their children with Cheyenne and his wife, and Tupac left Viho in charge of the village.

They arrived at the same spot where Bonnie and Damon departed from their world.

"Are we sure we want to do this?" Zinnia asked, nervous.

"Of course we want to do this. What, you don't want to see Bonnie and Damon?" Tupac asked skeptically, a frown marring his face.

"I do want to go, but we're going to be traveling through a tunnel of light. I'm scared." Zinnia pretended to shiver, then loudly chuckled.

"The Zinnia I know isn't afraid of anything." He smiled.

"Well, I'm afraid of this." They laughed.

"Well, don't be. I'm here with you. Together we can do this." Tupac grabbed Zinnia's hand and interlocked their fingers, devotedly searching each other's eyes.

"Okay, here goes." Zinnia took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and said softly, "Natasha."

…and unlike the other portals, this one opened up, plucked them from the ground, and sucked them into the threshold.

Zinnia and Tupac wanted to scream bloody murder when they felt their bodies, zipping through the hole in space and time. They couldn't open their mouths or eyes. They were completely immobilized.

_Ahhhhhhh!_ Zinnia screamed in her head.

_Damon, you bastard! I'm going to kill you!_ Tupac blasted internally.

The panic and the fear they felt left no room for rational thoughts as they journeyed through regions of cold, hot, and extreme brightness.

They had now been travelling through the gateway for well over an hour, and madness began to settle in on the couple.

_How long is this going to last?! Stop! Stop, by the great Gods of Gardenia, stop! _Tupac shouted.

_Mmmm, oh god. What have you done Bonnie? How could you do this to me and my family, _Zinnia cried.

After a few hours had passed, they were finally at the end of their harrowing voyage. Tupac was spat out of the portal first. He smashed into the side of the house, ripping out bricks as he went tumbling down to the ground. Zinnia came out next, colliding head first into Damon's Chevy, tearing up the roof.

"What the fuck was that?!" Tyler exclaimed, leaping to his feet, bug-eyed.

"Shit!" Stefan added, equally mortified.

Everyone was home and was frightened by the noise. Damon jumped to his feet, Natasha in his arms.

Tyler was the first out the door, then Stefan, Lucy, Melissa, and lastly Damon and Bonnie.

"MY CAR!" Damon shouted. He handed Natasha off to her mother and zipped to his drop top. He looked down into the car, seeing Zinnia.

"Zinnia!" he bellowed and then snatched her up into his arms.

She loudly grunted as Damon picked her up. Zinnia was badly hurt, but her external scars were quickly healing.

"Tu… Tu…Tupac," she mumbled, then passed out.

"Stefan, check around the house for Tupac!" Damon yelled.

"Come on," Stefan said, tapping Tyler on the shoulder. They vamp sped around the property and found Tupac in the backyard.

"Tupac!" Stefan got to his knees and felt for a pulse. It was faint. He bit into his wrist, then forced Tupac's mouth open with his bleeding appendage.

Damon carried Zinnia into the house and laid her on the couch, everyone quick on his heels.

"Melissa, get me a wet cloth," Damon said.

"We found him. He's badly hurt, but I gave him my blood," Stefan said as he and Tyler brought Tupac inside.

"Let's take them up to my room," Damon suggested.

Damon picked Zinnia up and took her to his room. Stefan and Tyler followed right behind him with Tupac.

Bonnie and Lucy looked worriedly at each other and then at the stairs. Bonnie began to feel horrible and remorseful about what happened to her friends.

This wasn't what she wanted for them. She wished that she had warned them about how rough the arrival could be. She wished that she had made other arrangements so that their landing wouldn't have been so horrible and painful. Regrettably, her good deeds didn't play out the way she had planned.

"Maybe we should've added a crash proof spell to that letter," Lucy said, a gloomy expression.

o. O. o.

Zinnia began to come to. Her eyes popped open. She flashed to a seated position.

"Easy there," Damon said after rushing to her side. He took her by the shoulders and caressed her shoulders in an effort to soothe her.

"Tupac." She looked back down at the bed to see her husband still passed out. She hovered over him, rubbed, and kissed his forehead.

"He's going to be okay. He had a rough landing, but he's going to make it."

Bonnie hurried over to Zinnia. Damon moved out of the way so that Bonnie could take his place on the bed.

"I'm sorry, Zinnia," Bonnie said as she lightly massaged her back.

Zinnia sat back up, looked at Bonnie, and then grinned.

"Oh Bonnie, I missed you." She swathed her in loving arms and pressed her to her bosom, rocking Bonnie.

"I missed you more," Bonnie replied happily.

Zinnia took her by the shoulders, "Nonsense." She laughed.

"I didn't mean for you and Tupac to get hurt. I was trying to do a good thing."

"You did do a good thing. Don't worry about Tupac. He's made of steel. He'll be fine, so stop worrying. Now where's that baby."

Damon grabbed Natasha from her bassinet and brought her back to Zinnia. "Here she is." He smiled, leaning down to hand Natasha to Zinnia.

"Oh my god! Oh my god! She's beautiful!" Zinnia squealed at seeing the mocha baby with chestnut hair for the very first time. "All I see is you Damon."

"Hey!" Bonnie hit Zinnia on the arm, miffed.

Damon and Zinnia laughed at her reaction.

"She may look like me, but she's smart as a whip, like her mother," Damon said sweetly, eliciting a loving grin from Bonnie.

"I bet she is, and I'm sure she only looks like you because she knows how much you fought for her," Zinnia said, not realizing how her words would affect Bonnie.

Bonnie rubbed her hands together, anxious, as she looked sadly down at them. Zinnia and Damon both noticed a change in her attitude right away.

"Oh Bonnie, I apologize. I simply meant that he really loves her. I mean… that he really wanted her. I mean… that he was the one who fought for her. Oh god, I'm making this worse."

Bonnie laughed. "It's okay, Zinnia. I know what you mean. Damon did want her from the very beginning."

"…and so did you Bonnie. You just wanted to do what was best for everyone. No one is faulting you for that," Damon explained.

"Exactly. You had your reasons, but I'm just glad you changed your mind." Zinnia added.

"Me too. Looking at her now, makes me wonder why I even considered ending my pregnancy." Bonnie ghosted her fingers across Natasha's forehead, a glow in her eyes and a smile on her lips.

A joyful silence cascaded down upon them as they gushed over Natasha.

Tupac loudly exhaled, catching Zinnia's attention. She looked over at him and felt his forehead. Her eyes then searched around the room. She went from being awestruck over Natasha to being in reverence over Bonnie's and Damon's lavish space.

"This room is bigger than my house," she whispered, captivated.

"Pfft, please," Damon grunted and then chuckled.

"I think your house is slightly bigger than this room, Zinnia." Bonnie was tickled.

"Would you like a tour?" Damon offered.

"Once Tupac is up, yes."

"How about I make you a cup of coffee. Introduce you to a real morning pick me upper." Damon bragged as he got to his feet, adjusting his pants.

"Coffee? What's that?" Zinnia was puzzled.

"It's like the morning tea you make with the yellow fruit, but stronger," Bonnie revealed with a smile.

"Ok. I'd like some." She nodded.

Damon left the room, leaving Bonnie and Zinnia alone.

Zinnia put her focus back on Natasha as they waited for Damon to return with the coffee. Tupac groaned and moved timidly about the bed.

"Zinnia," he said croakily.

"I'm here, Tupac." She leaned into him and kissed him on the forehead once more.

He smiled with his eyes closed, then slowly rose from the bed. He rubbed his eyes, trying to wake himself up. He then looked around the room.

"How are you feeling?" Bonnie asked.

"I feel much better," he answered, his gaze still locked on his surroundings. Tupac finally decided to give Bonnie and his wife his full attention. His eyes immediately landed on the gorgeous baby in Zinnia's arm.

"Ooooh, hello beautiful." He leaned into Natasha and caressed her puffy cheek with the pad of his index finger. "Bonnie, she's beautiful. She looks like you."

"Yes, she does." Bonnie gloated, then looked at Zinnia, and they laughed.

Zinnia decided to keep her opinions to herself, regarding who Natasha looked like. She didn't want a repeat of what happened earlier.

Tupac quickly lost interest in Natasha as he was so enthralled by Bonnie's and Damon's bedroom. "Oh, my… god, this room is magnificent," he said, spellbound.

Tupac slowly climbed out of bed and walked around the room, touching the furniture, curtains everything within reach. He even got down on his hands and knees, inspecting the wood flooring.

Just as Tupac stood, Damon walked through the door with two cups of coffee.

"Tupac Shakur!" he bellowed.

"Damon Salvatore!" Tupac bellowed in an even louder voice.

Damon zoomed the coffee to the dresser, rushed over to his friend, and gave him a bear hug.

"Ah, male bonding," Bonnie teased.

Damon and Tupac pulled away from each other, slapping each other's shoulders and roughhoused.

"So, you're a dad now. How do you feel?"

"Oh man, it feels really good. I'm the luckiest man alive." Damon beamed as he looked over at Natasha and Bonnie.

"That's great Damon. I'm happy for you two."

They stood, admiring their women and Natasha for a fleeting moment, then went back to conversing.

"So, how are things back in Gardenia?"

"Mind-numbing, I welcome the change of scenery," Zinnia answered for Tupac, then rolled her eyes with just the thought of it all. They cracked up.

"Damon… your room is breathtaking," Tupac said, interrupting their good-humored moment.

Damon clapped his hands eagerly together. "Don't I have something to show you? This way please," he boasted, walking towards the bathroom. Tupac walked behind.

Damon turned on the light. Tupac's eyes widened, palms up to the heavens, amazed by the sight of Damon's glorious restroom.

"THIS IS YOUR BATHROOM!" Tupac shouted so loudly, his voice reverberated throughout the room. He went to the sink, turning the water on and off madly. By this time, Zinnia and Bonnie had joined them.

Bonnie leaned against the frame of the door, ecstatic at the sight of her happy friends.

Tupac looked under the sink at the pipes, then ran to the shower, turning the faucet on and off like he did with the sink, marveling over the modern wonders.

"ZINNIA, LOOK AT THIS SHOWER!"

Zinnia handed Natasha off to Bonnie without looking.

"Praise be to the gods!" she squealed. They stuck their hands, feet, and faces in the stream of water and giggled like children at how wonderful it was.

"Oh my, this must be the toilet," Tupac's voice lowered. He squinted his eyes, as if a light-bulb had gone off in his brain. "I must use it." He looked seriously at everyone.

Damon looked at Bonnie, frowning. She shrugged.

"Say what?" Damon's voice cracked, confused and nervous by his friend's request.

"Let me use it."

"Ok, when you say use it, do you mean number one, or number two?"

"Damon," Bonnie said incredulously, shaking her head, and then laughed.

"Number one, number two? What does this mean?" Tupac questioned with narrow eyes, slightly frowning.

"Liquid or solid?" Damon explained uncomfortably.

"My bowels need to move?" Tupac answered.

"We have other bathrooms in this house." Damon practically shouted, bothered by Tupac's request and persistence.

"Damon, just let him use the bathroom."

"No, no, just wait. Wait a minute. Tupac… a man's bathroom is his throne," Damon explained sternly but politely.

"I understand that, but I'm your guest. I showed you hospitality in Gardenia, and I expect the same in return."

"…and I understand, that's why I'm going to let you use the guest bathroom which is equally nice," Damon suggested, slightly irritated.

"But I don't want to use the guest bathroom. I want to use this one, aren't we family?"

"Tupac, you can use this bathroom. Damon you don't even need a toilet. Be nice."

"No, no, no, Bonnie."

"Tupac, if your bowels move, flush once it lands in the water, and be sure to keep this vent on." Bonnie hit the switch, turning on the vent.

"Oh, nice," Zinnia said. "What does that do?"

"It helps to control the odor," Bonnie replied, then looked back over at Tupac.

"…and here is some tissue." She smiled as she handed the toilet paper over to him.

"Ooh, this is soft. I used this to wipe?" he asked unbelievingly.

"Yes," Bonnie answered cutely

"Zinnia, feel this."

"Oh, we need to take a bunch of this back to Gardenia."

"Yes! We can use it to land on, send it through the portal first," he said excited and Zinnia gleamed.

"So, Tupac once you're done, use the air freshener, and I'm sure you know to wash your hands. Damon, give him the air freshener."

"No, Bonnie. Are we really going to let our guest use our personal bathroom?" Damon whined.

"Um, um, we're practically family," Tupac said in a singsong voice, and Zinnia laughed.

"Let's go," Bonnie commanded.

Zinnia and Bonnie left. Damon dragged behind them. He looked gloomily back at Tupac, who was undoing his pants and smirking mischievously at Damon.

Tupac waved and winked. Damon glared at him, then slammed the door.

"Oh, oh, Zinnia, let me show you the kitchen. Here Damon, take Natasha." Bonnie gave Natasha to her father and ran out of the room with Zinnia.

"I can't believe someone is shitting in my bathroom, Natasha," he said in disbelief with a somber look in his eyes.

Natasha loudly cooed as if she could understand her father. Damon instantly felt better just looking at her. "I knew you'd understand." Stars returned to his eyes, and he flashed her his pearly whites, but as soon as the happiness returned, it was stolen by the sounds of Tupac's loud flatulence.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," he uttered as he looked out into the room, thwarted.

Downstairs, Zinnia screamed at the top of her lungs at seeing the stove, refrigerator, and dishwasher. Stefan, Lucy, and the others watched, cracking up at Zinnia's exaggerated happiness over everything from the blender, toaster, garbage disposal, right down to the simple coffee maker.

She played with the water hose in the sink, inadvertently spraying Tyler who took it all in good stride.

"Oops, I apologize." She grinned.

"It's cool. Do it again," Tyler said in a humorous retort. Zinnia giggled.

Stefan then showed her how to use the microwave. Zinnia practically exploded at the genius of a machine that could heat water in under a minute.

She finally calmed down once making her very first pot of coffee. They threw out the pot Damon made earlier just so Zinnia could make more. After making the coffee, she served everyone a cup, which they all took and just held in their hand to be polite.

A silence descended over the room. They all looked awkwardly around, smiling at each other not knowing what to say.

Zinnia took a sip of her beverage and looked at everyone over the rim of her cup, thinking of a way to liven up their gathering.

"What did you guys do with all the verdant you brought back?" Zinnia finally found the perfect conversation starter.

"We stored it in the freezer. I hope it doesn't ruin," Bonnie answered nonchalantly, arms folded.

"What's verdant?" Melissa asked.

"It's a special fruit that increases fertility," Zinnia responded.

"Say what?" Lucy questioned hilariously.

"It's true you guys. Natasha is the evidence." Bonnie chimed in.

"Stefan, why didn't you tell me?" Lucy punched him on the shoulder.

"Because… I find it so ridiculously hard to believe, even now." He tittered and rolled his eyes at the illogicality of it all.

"Well, it's true, and stop being so pessimistic, Stefan, and what is a freezer?" Zinnia asked.

"Here, I'll show her the freezer," Melissa said.

Zinnia followed behind Melissa and Stefan tagged alone. He unlocked the freezer once they were in the cellar below the kitchen and then opened it up. He looked at Zinnia and smirked.

"Tadaaa!" Melissa gestured toward the inside of the freezer like a seasoned Price is Right model.

Zinnia felt around inside, then picked up a package of meat. "It's frozen solid!" She gasps. She then picked up one of the verdant. "It's like a rock. Oh my God!"

Melissa and Stefan laughed.

"Oh, oh, there's something else you need to see. You're going to love it!" Melissa took Zinnia by the hand and dragged her back to the kitchen.

"Bonnie! Bonnie! Let's show her the washroom," Melissa enthusiastically suggested.

"Washroom?" Zinnia's eyes widened at the idea of what it meant.

"Oh yes!" Bonnie shot back loudly.

The gang all went down to the washroom with Bonnie, Melissa, and Zinnia, and she almost fainted once seeing the washing machine in progress, cleaning their clothes.

"A machine can wash clothes?!" she squealed. Everyone cackled.

"Yes, and this machine… dries them," Melissa said animatedly.

"Bonnie, you have to let me use this!"

"Of course." Bonnie smiled.

"Hello, everyone," Tupac greeted happily after he and Damon entered.

"Everyone, this is my friend Tupac." Damon grinned.

"Tupac?" Tyler furrowed his brow. "What's your last name?"

Damon, Stefan, and Bonnie looked at each other, then dissolved into laughter.

"What?" Melissa looked oddly at the three.

"Seriously. What's his last name?" Tyler asked again, anxious.

Damon and Bonnie knew what Tyler was thinking as they had experienced it all before. Tupac frowned at them. "Stop it," he hissed. "My name is Tupac Shakur," he announced proudly, then grunted.

Tyler snatched his wide-eyed gaze around to Melissa, whose eyes were like saucers. They grabbed their guts and roared with laughter whilst Lucy tried to be more dignified, laughing with her back to the others.

"Zinnia, you too?"

"They're so happy," she said tickled.

"Stop laughing at me!" Tupac huffed, and they laughed even louder. "Ahh, the hell with all of you." He marched out of the room.

"Tupac, come back," Damon said, still heartily laughing.

….

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, sorry it was so short, it's a filler, setup chapter. More happy and thrilling times to come before the doom and gloom. I felt I owed you all something to tie you over. I'm working on the next chapter, right now. Much love!


	25. Chapter 25 Soon Bonnie Bennett Soon

**A/N: **Enjoy this chapter, I beg you! Y'all will never see another chapter like this from me, again. O. M. G! That's all I'm saying.

**Oblivion Chapter 25: Soon, Bonnie Bennett, Soon**

Zinnia followed Tupac out. She was still feeling pretty jovial. That feeling soon began to dwindle once she saw the swollen look on her husband's face.

Tupac sat down at the kitchen table, sulking. Zinnia came and sat down beside him, smiling.

"They hurt your feelings," she said.

"I have a good name."

"Yes, you do, but I don't believe it's your name they're mocking. If that were the case, Bonnie and Damon would've surely died of laughter when we introduced them to Harshit Dikinbooty." Zinnia smiled.

Tupac tried to hold onto his anger, but after hearing the name of one of the residents back in Gardenia, he was forced to push aside his annoyance. Tupac smiled, then let out a hearty chuckle.

"Harshit Dikinbooty. Why would his parents give him that name when his last name was so god awful?

"Harshit is very proud of his name." Zinnia smiled and lovingly nudged her husband.

Downstairs, the gang began to sober from their cheerful moment. They looked around at each other, wondering what to say.

"Why did he get mad? Doesn't he know that he has the name of a legend?" Tyler questioned.

Bonnie, Stefan, and Damon looked at each other, brows puckered.

"We never told him about the rapper, Tupac Shakur," Stefan said, then shrugged.

"You never told him about the real Tupac?" Tyler questioned excitedly.

"The real Tupac?!" Damon frowned. "They're both _real_,Tyler," he emphasized. "Ironically, they just have the same damn name."

"Okay, you don't have to get all uptight about it," Tyler shot back.

"Well let's just stop laughing every time the man announces his name. Let's play him some of Tupac's songs and show him some album covers. Then he'll know why we always act like a bunch of cackling idiots every time we hear his name," Lucy suggested.

"I'm with Lucy." Stefan wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her on the cheek.

"I have all of Tupac's greatest hits on my phone," Bonnie said, whipping out her cellphone.

"You listen to rap?" Damon asked, his brow furrowed.

"Yes," Bonnie chimed.

"Unf, I thought you only listened to pop music."

Bonnie snickered, "There's so much you don't know about me."

"I know, but I'm going to enjoy getting to know all of it." Damon leaned into her for a kiss. She pecked his lips and then kissed Natasha's head.

"Here, show this to Tupac. I want to properly introduce Lucy and Zinnia," Bonnie said to Damon as she handed him the phone.

"Okay, let's go you love birds. Let's apologize to our friend," Stefan said.

Everyone filed out of the room, one by one, and went back to the kitchen.

Stefan was the first to enter. Tupac looked at him and frowned. Stefan returned to him a sweet grin.

"What do you want?" Tupac huffed.

"We want to apologize," Stefan answered.

While the others expressed their regret, Bonnie ran over to Zinnia and brought her to meet Lucy.

"Zinnia, Lucy, since we're all together and awake." She giggled, "I want to formally introduce you two." Bonnie was filled with glee at introducing her two big play sisters.

"Zinnia, this is my cousin Lucy, we haven't known each other for long, but we've become pretty close since she's been here, and Lucy, this is Zinnia. She took really good care of me back in Gardenia."

"Nice to meet you Lucy."

"Likewise. Has Bonnie been a good girl while I was away? She hasn't let Elena take advantage her has she?"

Zinnia smiled as she folded her arms and gave Bonnie a playful reprimanding look. "I'm proud to say, she's been a good girl. Except for this one incident, but I've got it under control." They chuckled.

The three were then disrupted from their tender moment by the others' loud talking and laughing.

"Okay, I'll accept your apology. Now what is it that you want to show me?"

"We want to introduce you to him." Damon stuck Bonnie's cellphone into Tupac's face.

He pulled back a little to get a better view of the contraption Damon was pushing into his face.

"What kind of machine is this?" he asked, puzzled.

"It's a cellphone. You can talk to people on it. Listen to music. Social network. Banking. You can practically take care of all of your business and social needs with a cellphone," Bonnie enlightened as she stepped closer to Damon and Tupac.

Tupac nodded. His eyes then zoomed in on the image and name displayed on the tiny screen, "Tupac Shakur," he whispered, squinting his eyes. "He has my name. Who is this man?"

"He's a famous rap star," Damon replied.

"I want to meet him," Tupac commanded.

"He's dead," Melissa said coolly.

"Oh." Tupac slightly nodded. "You say he was a rap star? What's rap?"

"Bonnie, play him a song," Damon suggested, handing off the phone to her as he bounced Natasha in his arms.

Bonnie picked out a song and within seconds they were listening to "California".

Melissa, Tyler, and Bonnie start singing and rocking to the beat.

"California... knows how to party; California... knows how to party. In the citaaay of L.A; in the citaaay of good ol' Watts. In the citaaay, the city of Compton. We keep it rockin! We keep it rockin!" they sang.

Tupac started tapping his feet and nodding his head to the music. Damon grinned at seeing his lively friend.

"What a wonderful sound. Very melodic," Tupac said.

"He has other songs. I'll plug in my earbuds. You can listen to the entire selection."

"Earbuds?" Tupac frowned.

They all laughed.

"You have so much to learn about our world," Damon said and pat him on the back.

"Ooh, let's throw them a barbeque!" Melissa said excitedly.

"A barbeque? Now that sounds like fun. Will there be plenty of ale- and herbs to smoke?" Tupac asked intrigued.

Zinnia and Tupac definitely knew about partying.

"Are you talking about weed?!" Tyler became excited.

He looked at Damon, who narrowed his eyes, nodding with pleasure, "Their herbs… out of this world. Liquor, meh… not so much." They cackled like hens at Damon's remark, including Tupac and Zinnia.

o. O. o.

Hayden, Shing and Luna's servant vampire, healed Shing with his blood, but the wizard's self-esteem was still broken. Once again, Bonnie Bennett had defeated him. A lesser humanoid had beat him at his own game, twice, and he didn't like it; not one bit. To add injury to insult, Luna had proven not to be the loving friend that he assumed she was.

She nagged him since the moment Natasha vanquished him back to the house they now lived in with Hayden. He was weak, she said. His powers were no match for Bonnie, she said, but Shing wasn't about to let Luna tell him who he was.

He was Shing, the great wizard of Emerald City. He was the most powerful sorcerer of all. Sadly, that only held true for New Earth. Shing was now ready to return home and leave Bonnie Bennett to rule over her own world in peace.

"Shing," Luna called, startling him from his meditation.

"What do you want?" He stared out the great window overlooking the lake.

"I've seen a person in my vision that can help us destroy Bonnie Bennett, once and for all. He's a warlock such as yourself. He has the ability to absorb one's power," she foretold.

Shing continued to look out the window. He didn't care about this mission anymore. He had power over his world. Other warlocks and witches bowed down to him and that was all that mattered.

For the first time in his life, he was experiencing humility. Surprisingly, he didn't mind it as much as he believed he would.

"Shing, did you not hear what I said?" Luna glowered as she folded her arms, growing impatient with him.

"Leave Bonnie Bennett be. Her and her child. She's home now. She means me no harm. She's of no consequence to me anymore."

Luna stiffened. She tightly fisted her hands. She was livid. She wanted Natasha. She wanted that baby and to control her power more than anything. Unlike Shing, Luna was incredibly covetous. She wanted to conquer New Earth and Bonnie's home world, too.

"So, you would just give up? Give up on the dream of having everything. Give up on having the world, _worlds_, and universes at your feet?"

"If it means I could stay alive." He turned to face her, "Yes."

"Well I'm not giving up. I want that baby."

"Is this what it's all about? Her baby?" he questioned unbelievingly and then frowned at her, "I'm not helping you, Luna. Not anymore. Tomorrow, we return home."

Luna looked at him for a second, astounded, and then grabbed her gut and let out a wicked laugh. She quickly sobered, her dirty look meeting his.

"You are so stupid, and weak," she said through clenched teeth, a sinister look in her eyes, "You couldn't even muster up enough power to bring us here. You try to go home, and you'll die."

Shing twisted his lips in anger, turning red in the face. "Bitch, I could kill you with one snap of my finger."

"Do it, and then see how well you get along in this world without me," she said spitefully and then marched out of the room.

Shing eyed the doorway for a few minutes and then plopped down onto the bed, a devastated look on his face. He was trapped in a plan of his own making.

o. O. o.

Stefan and Melissa drove down the highway, blasting rapper Tupac's music. Since the incident at home with Gardenia's Tupac, they had a craving for his music.

They elected to go to the market and the liquor store for everything they needed to throw a big shindig for their guest.

Tyler couldn't go because of Natasha; though, he was no longer put out about protecting his new godchild.

Lucy decided to stay because she wasn't about to leave Bonnie alone now that Shing was in town.

When they arrived at the grocery store, Stefan jumped out and raced around to the passenger side to open the door for Melissa.

"Thank you! You're such a gentleman."

"Why, thank you. I try." He smiled.

They went straight to the meat section after entering the store.

"Oh, can we get sirloin and T-bone steaks?" Melissa asked.

"Yeah, get whatever you want. We'll get some ground beef, bratwurst, chicken and fish, too." Stefan smiled as he grabbed packages of lean cut meat and threw it into the basket.

Melissa returned to him the same sweet smile and then went back to filling their cart.

They grabbed a few cases of beer, and lastly, a variety of vegetables, condiments, and desserts.

"Stefan, water guns!"

"Oh, grab a few!"

They grabbed the water guns and then rushed to the front of the store to checkout.

After buying the food, they headed to the liquor store to stock up on booze. Stefan wasn't about to let his guest leave without trying all of his favorites and then some.

While on their way to the liquor store, Stefan noticed emergency responders down Parker's block near their house.

"What the hell," he whispered, stopping the car in the middle of the road to get a better look. He ignored the honking behind him.

Stefan put the car in reverse and then turned down the street, discovering that the police, coroners, and ambulance were indeed at the Parker's house.

"Do you know these people?" Melissa asked.

"Yeah," Stefan answered dazedly as he climbed out of the car and began walking closer to the crime scene.

Melissa climbed out of the car and hurried to catch up with Stefan who kept a safe distance from the police tape, blocking off the area.

Stefan listened in on the conversation between the detectives with his vamp hearing and carefully eyed Luke.

"Oh god, Jo and Liv were murdered," Stefan uttered, horrified.

"Oh no." Melissa gripped her chest, stunned by the information.

Luke caught Stefan's eye. He quickly looked away and then at Melissa. "Come on, let's get out of here." He placed his hand on her back and nudged her along.

They jumped in the car and sped away to the liquor store. Stefan loaded up on wine, bourbon, vodka, and margarita mix and hurried home. He was anxious to tell the others what he saw.

In the car on the way back home, they opted to ride in silence as Stefan's mind was still heavy with thoughts about Jo and Liv. He wondered how Alaric must have been feeling over the loss of his girlfriend.

"Are you going to be okay?" Melissa asked.

"Uh, yeah, for the most part, but I can't help but wonder why and who would want to kill Jo and Liv."

"They're witches. Who _wouldn't_ want to kill them," she replied simply.

Stefan turned to Melissa, bemused.

"You say that like witches deserve to die." He chuckled dubiously, shaking his head.

"We don't deserve to die, but things never end well for my kind. We've created terrible things, and everyone either wants to use us or kill us."

"This is true. Bonnie has been through so much, protecting Mystic Falls and all of her friends."

"Yes, Lucy told me that she's sacrificed herself a few times, protecting and making sure you all were happy." She waited for Stefan's response.

"Yes, she has." His eyes met Melissa's for a fleeting moment.

"Don't you think you owe Bonnie?" She eyed him seriously.

Their eyes remained fixed on each other for a moment. Stefan then put his focus back on the road and softly chuckled, "You're right. I should do something sweet for Bonnie. After all… she's my sister-in-law."

"That's right, she is! You should give her away at the wedding. I know she'd love it."

"Wedding?" Stefan asked, creasing his brow.

"Yeah, Bonnie said she wants to have a wedding for all of her friends. She even mentioned inviting her mom."

"Oh yeah," Stefan answered as the wheels in his head began to turn, "Oh! Oh! Oh!" he became anxious as a child on Christmas Day.

"Yeeess," Melissa drawled.

"I know a perfect gift for Bonnie. I can find her mother, bring her to the wedding."

"That's a good idea. Are you going to perform the locator spell, too?" Melissa teased, laughing.

Stefan rolled his eyes and playfully nudged her shoulder, making Melissa all giddy.

"Would you do the spell for me, Melissa? Please?"

"Get your girlfriend to do it for you."

"No. I don't want to tell, Lucy. She might get all excited and tell Bonnie, and besides, those two are inseparable."

"Ugh! Okay, I'll help you." Melissa smiled.

"Aww, you're the best!"

They laughed.

o. O. o.

Malachi Parker walked in to his cozy little apartment, smiling. He had consumed Jo's magic and placed Liv's in her garnet necklace for a rainy day.

It felt great to finally do what he had been dreaming of for years, seeking revenge on his family. He wasn't done by a long shot, though. Killing his father to become the leader of his coven was the ultimate goal.

He went to the bathroom and smiled at his reflection. He then looked down at the necklace that harbored Liv's power and smirked. Kai finally noticed dried up blood on his fingers. Instead of being moved to tears about seeing his sister's gore on his hands, he was revolted by their bodily fluids dirtying him all up.

"Ew," he said, frowning.

He was completely void of any sympathy or guilt. He washed his hands with hot water and a good lathering, removing any evidence from his person.

He grabbed the towel from off the hook. He was surprisingly calm for a man who was now wanted by his coven, a man who had killed his own siblings.

He looked in the mirror as he dried off his hands, thinking about Bonnie Bennett with a deep, penetrative gaze on his boyish face.

Kai had arrived back in Mystic Falls with one purpose, but after meeting the very beautiful Bonnie Bennett, and her precious baby girl, life suddenly had a whole new meaning for him. He could feel the power radiating off of them from the moment he stepped in to the boarding house.

If Bonnie weren't already dating the lug of a vampire, he'd might consider making her his dark princess and raise Natasha as his own. Kai thought that much of himself that he believed Bonnie Bennett would want to be with him willingly.

Since he couldn't have her in his bed, taking her power would have to suffice. Everything was all in the timing. He didn't want to consume their power until he had merged with his brother. Then he'd finally have his full magic. No more powering down like a battery and then recharging.

The kind of power Bonnie and Natasha had couldn't be taken and just used all up.

He would take their power and will it. He would will it until he no longer drew breath.

"Soon, Bonnie Bennett. Soon," he said to his reflection.

o. O. o.

Stefan and Melissa returned home two hours later and the others help them promptly unload the groceries and the liquor from the car. Zinnia and Tupac were once again awestruck over the packaged food and the bottles of liquor.

Everyone went to work, even Zinnia and Tupac pitched in. The kitchen was a madhouse of people cleaning, cutting, seasoning, and so on and so forth.

Stefan had to take a step back from everything as he was still weighed down by confusion and sadness over the senseless murder of Liv and Jo. He managed to find some sort of happiness watching Damon show Bonnie how he seasoned his T-bone steaks. He really hated having to break up their happy moment, but what he had to tell Damon couldn't wait.

"Damon, can I have a word with you… alone?" he said.

"What? Now? I'm in the zone." Damon frowned.

"Damon, please," Stefan reiterated.

"Ugh!" Damon huffed. "I'll be back," he said to Bonnie and then followed Stefan outside and onto the patio. "What is it?"

"Liv and Jo were murdered."

"Oh." Damon paused, thinking, "No wonder Alaric's been calling me like crazy." He narrowed his eyes, shifting on his feet as he rested his hands on his hips. "How did you find out? Did Alaric tell you?"

"No, I was there, at the crime scene. Melissa and I saw the coroners and detectives outside of their house."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, you don't think that lunatic from the prison world escaped when you guys left, do you?" Damon asked, his brow wrinkled.

"No. We were all in a circle. He wasn't there. I mean how would he even know to go to Nova Scotia?" Stefan rattled off.

Damon stood mulling over his brother's words. "Well…they're witches. Who knows? Maybe they got themselves into some weird shit."

"Yeah, maybe." Stefan answered as he recalled Melissa saying that very same thing to him in the car on the way back home.

They stood in silence for a moment, pondering over what to do next.

"We better get back inside before the others start to worry," Stefan said.

"Give me a minute. I want to call Alaric and see how he's holding up."

"Yeah, sure. I'll tell Bonnie."

Stefan went inside, leaving Damon alone.

Bonnie curiously eyed Stefan as he entered the kitchen. He went straight to Lucy's side, forgetting to tell Bonnie that Damon was on the phone with Alaric.

Stefan got more involved with Lucy, kissing her, tickling her all while chopping up vegetables. Telling Bonnie about Damon being on the phone with Alaric had completely slipped his mind as he was enthralled in all things Lucy.

"Fine. I'll see what Damon's up to myself." Just as Bonnie was about to go check on Damon, Natasha started crying.

"Awww," Zinnia gushed over hearing Natasha bawling her eyes out for attention.

"Mommy's coming!" Bonnie ran over to her baby who was all snuggled up in her expensive hi-tech baby bouncer.

Bonnie undid her straps and took her tiny bundle of joy into her arms. She checked to see if she was soiled, and sure enough, she was. Bonnie was also sure that she'd be hungry as well.

"Does she need changing?" Zinnia asked.

"Yes, and fed, too."

"Oh, can I feed her?"

"Sure!"

Bonnie grabbed a bottle from the fridge, and she and Zinnia went to the living room.

Damon came back inside a few moments later, noticing that his child and wife were missing. He marched right through the kitchen and into the living room. He smiled instantly upon seeing them. He stood at the edge of the room, unnoticed by them, watching as Bonnie changed Natasha's diaper, and Zinnia enthused.

"Aw, Bonnie, aren't you so glad that she's in your life?"

Bonnie smiled as she finished up with Natasha. She took her baby into her arms, still smiling and then kissed her on the forehead.

"I don't know what I would do without her. Having my baby was the best thing I could've ever done."

"I knew one day you'd feel this way."

"I've always wanted children, but I never imagined in a million years that Damon would be the father. When we made love, I'd never thought I'd get pregnant. I'd thought it'd be the one time and that we'd find our way home, and he'd get back with Elena, but I guess fate had other plans." They smiled.

She drifted down to the sofa. Zinnia followed.

Damon leaned against the wall, still listening in on their conversation, beaming like a love sick puppy.

"So, you didn't care if you ever got to be with Damon, again? You didn't want more?"

"Of course I wanted more, but I was afraid that once he saw Elena, it'd be all about her."

"Now, you know it's not about her, and that Damon really does love you."

"Yes, he does, and I love him, so much. For the first time in my life, I feel complete. I have a family that loves me. It's all about me." Bonnie became teary-eyed and so did Zinnia.

Damon grinned from ear to ear, hearing them talk.

"Stop it. You're going to make me cry." Zinnia wiped away the tears, streaming down her cheeks.

"You two cry more than Natasha," Damon said as he moseyed over to them with stars in his eyes.

Zinnia and Bonnie laughed.

"You know us girls. It's not a good conversation unless we cry," Bonnie joked.

"Ah, here are my four favorite people on this planet," Tupac said as he entered.

"Four people?" Damon narrowed his eyes in thought.

"The little one in your wife's arms," Tupac answered as he pointed to Natasha.

Damon turned around, counting and then thought about himself. "Really, Damon," he said, and then laughed at his own absurd comment.

"Did you hit your head against the house when you landed, too?" Tupac mocked.

"Oh! Oh! Oh! Zinnia, hold the baby and Tupac you sit beside her. I want to get a picture of you two before you go back."

"A picture? What's a picture?" Tupac asked.

"No time for questions, just sit your ass down and then we'll show you what a picture is." Damon pushed Tupac down onto the couch.

"You don't have to be so rude," he scolded.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, tell someone who cares."

Zinnia and Bonnie laughed as they passed Natasha from one pair of arms to the other. Tupac and Zinnia got all cozy on the couch and prattled over a slightly, fretting and hungry Natasha.

Bonnie stood in front of them, aiming her phone to get the perfect picture of her two new best friends.

"Oh, Bonnie, take a picture of them, now," Damon said lowly into her ear.

"Aw, they're adorable," she replied at seeing Zinnia cradle Natasha in her arms and Tupac leaning into them.

Bonnie smiled at them on her cellphone screen as she adjusted the camera to get the perfect picture of Zinnia with her perfect bushy red hair, yellow lightly freckled skin, and the dashing olive skin of Tupac. They were the most attractive pairing in all the world, at least to Bonnie.

"Should I vamp up?"

"NOOO!" Bonnie and Damon shouted in unison, remembering how unattractive New Earth vampires were. They looked guiltily at each other after seeing the wounded and glaring look on Zinnia and Tupac's faces.

"Sorry," Damon said remorsefully.

"Get on with it," Tupac snapped, bothered.

"Smile," Bonnie chimed. The pairing beamed and she snapped the picture.

Bonnie opened the image for Damon and they smiled at how adorable Zinnia and Tupac looked with Natasha.

"Okay, you guys. This is a picture." Bonnie knelt down and showed them the image.

"Good heavens, what kind of trickery is this?" Zinnia looked oddly at the image.

"I'll say," Tupac added.

"It's not trickery. Stop worrying about the science of it all and focus on how hot you two look," Damon said ironically.

Natasha was now full on crying and ready for her bottle. She had given the grownups enough free time.

"Bonnie, I better give her that bottle." Zinnia gestured to Natasha's milk on the table.

Damon grabbed the bottle and the burping cloth, and then laid it over Zinnia's left shoulder. "After you feed her, lightly pat her back. This will burp her."

"Oh really, I don't have children. I never knew this," Zinnia said playfully.

"Well, I had to be sure." Damon waggled his eyes at her and then laughed.

Bonnie and Damon watched them for a minute as they fed Natasha.

"You're sure you're not ready to have another one of these?" Tupac asked Zinnia as he ran the pads of his fingers over Natasha fat cheek. She loudly suckled and hummed as she took in the warm milk.

"Oh, I would love to, but not right now. Too much going on."

Damon wrapped his arm around Bonnie's waist, bringing her closer to him. She looked up at him, stars in her eyes. He returned the same affectionate gaze.

"Yo! Damon. Come on, dude. We got to get the grill ready!" Tyler shouted.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" he shouted back.

"Are you guys going to be alright while we help get the food ready?" Bonnie asked.

"Bonnie, we know how to take care of a child. Get!" Zinnia demanded.

They took off for the kitchen.

"I'll be there shortly to help out!" Tupac shouted after them.

Whilst Zinnia fed the baby, Tupac's eyes wandered around the living room, marveling over the fine furniture of deep reds, burgundies and browns. He then eyed the TV. He became curious of the strange looking device sitting in the entertainment unit.

"Zinnia, look how huge that cellphone is?"

"My word. They can't put that in a pouch." She laughed.

"No, they can't." He grinned.

"Mm, I wonder what these are?" he questioned as he picked up one of the remote controls from off the table. Tupac began pushing the buttons wildly, anticipating something to happen. For what, he didn't know, but curiosity had gotten the better of him.

Inadvertently, Tupac turned on the TV. His eyes widened in horror at sighting the people moving around inside the TV.

"Zinnia!" he shouted, horrified.

"Oh, my God!" Zinnia jumped up and flashed to the corner of the living room, screaming to Tupac to free the people.

"Tupac, save them! Get those people out of there! Oh God! Oh god!"

Tupac grabbed the poker from the fire place and began smashing the TV with all his might, cracking it, and then shattering it.

"What the fuck is going on out there?" Damon frowned, whipping his gaze around to his brother.

"Shit!" Tyler yelled.

Damon flashed out to the living room, followed by Tyler, Stefan, Bonnie and the others.

"My TV!" Damon screamed. He zoomed to Tupac and ripped the poker out of his grasp. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" he screamed, red in the face.

"There are people trapped in this device! What the hell are you and Bonnie doing here?!"

Tyler grabbed his gut and fell to the floor laughing. Melissa ran down the hall giggling. Lucy turned away from the others, trying to be more graceful about the ludicrous situation. Stefan and Bonnie both covered their mouths, trying to hold back from the hilarity of the scene playing out in front of them.

"This is a damn TV! This is how we entertain ourselves! You know, like your damn plays and poetry readings in the square! Oh my God! If this shit keeps up, we won't have a damn house!" Damon screamed at the top of his lungs and then slammed the poker to the floor glowering at Tupac whose expression was unreadable.

"Oh, this is how you entertain yourself?" Tupac asked solemnly as he skimmed his fingers over the cracked screen. "I'm sorry, Damon. I didn't know. Zinnia and I, we'll leave." He walked over to Bonnie, his tail tucked between his legs.

Zinnia slowly retreated from the corner, tears in her eyes and Natasha still in her arms, sucking on air.

Everyone stopped laughing, becoming more serious.

"Bonnie, will you be so kind as to make us another ticket so we can return home?" he asked, gloomily.

"Tupac," Bonnie said sweetly, "You don't have to leave."

"No, you don't have to leave. I'm sorry. I'm just a little irritated. You ruined my car, my baby. You shit in my bathroom, and now the TV is all smashed," Damon whined.

Tupac turned back to Damon.

"Tupac," Bonnie called as she stepped behind him. She waved her hand across the TV, chanting. The cracks began to smooth out and the glass pushed back into place.

"By all that is holy," he whispered.

"Grace be to the gods," Zinnia said, astounded.

Within minutes, the TV was back on, showing the same people that Tupac had tried to free moments ago, alive and well.

"Whoa." Damon said, stunned, looking directly at Bonnie. "Oh, fix my car!"

Everyone looked around at each other and then fell out on the floor, their sides splitting with amusement.

o. O. o.

Bonnie and Damon put Natasha down for the night, and spent the rest of the evening visiting with their friends. Enzo, Caroline, Matt, Cassie, Lucy's friend, and even Elena were invited and came to hang out with the gang.

"Hey, Elena," Bonnie greeted after she walked out onto the patio. They embraced each other warmly.

Zinnia looked curiously over at the women after hearing Elena's name being mentioned. She got up from her seat and walked over to them, "Hello," she said.

"Oh, hey, Zinnia. Elena, this is my good friend, Zinnia. She's from Gardenia. The place Damon and I were sent to."

"Oh, wow. It's nice to meet you." Elena held out her hand and Zinnia politely took it.

"It's nice to meet you as well. I've heard a lot about you." Zinnia shot Bonnie a knowing look. Elena noticed.

"All good things, I hope," said Elena.

"It wasn't bad. I assure you." Zinnia grinned.

"Well, good," Elena answered as she looked over at Bonnie. Her cheerful look soon turned serious. "Listen, Bonnie. I know, I haven't been the friend to you that you've been to me, but I'm hoping we can start over. We used to be so close, you and me, but after I became a blood-sucking leech, things changed. I changed. So, what do you say?"

"Wow, Elena. You've been human for like a day, and I'm liking you already," Bonnie said with a giggle. Elena did the same.

"I'm loving the new me, too."

"Good, would you like something to eat or drink?" Bonnie offered.

"Yeah. I'm starving."

"Go grab a plate. You know where everything is." Bonnie nudged her along.

"It was nice meeting you, Zinnia," Elena said before heading for the kitchen.

"Mm, so that's the infamous Elena," Zinnia said.

"Yup," Bonnie added. They looked at each other and sniggered. "Come on, let's get a beer."

Melissa and Tyler decided to break away from the others. They sat in the backseat of Tyler's car, snuggled up, listening to the music as they gazed up at the clear night sky, sipping on vodka and cranberry juice.

"Today has been a great day, despite those girls being murdered," Melissa said before letting out a pleasurable sigh.

"Murdered? Who was murdered?"

"Jo and Liv. That's what Stefan said."

"Liv and her sister were murdered?" Tyler asked, shocked.

"Yeah, do you know them, too?"

"Yeah, Liv was my ex-girlfriend."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Tyler."

"No, it's okay."

Melissa clutched his hand, her amber eyes meeting his, "Tyler, you can't tell me that your ex-girlfriend being murdered doesn't bother you?"

Tyler took a deep breath, considering her words. He didn't want to admit that Liv being killed shattered him. Some parts of him still cared for her, even though they had been broken up for several months or more. He didn't want to run off the current woman in his life that he very much wanted because of some residual feelings he had for someone from a past relationship.

"I'd be lying if I said I'm not hurt by her murder. I wanted her to be happy. Who would want to kill her, anyone?"

"People are sick, Tyler, but I'm sure the police will find out what happened to her and her sister; but if you need me, you know I'm here for you."

"I know, and I'm so glad you are. I'm happy I met you. You're so vivacious, and beautiful. You're my best friend." Tyler smiled as he looked at his beautiful round face starry-eyed girlfriend with her long dark brown wavy locks, warm fawn skin, and rose-colored lips.

Tyler leaned into Melissa, closing his eyes. Melissa closed hers. She soon felt his warm lips against her. He pressed the tip of his tongue against her lips, parting them. His kiss deepened with fervor. Melissa eased her cup down into the cup holder, then Tyler's.

She began undoing his pants, indicating that she was ready to go to the next level with him. Melissa didn't know what it was, but this day had been one of the happier days of her life, and being around Tyler made her feel things she hadn't felt before. He accepted her for who she was. She could be herself with him and vice versa.

Tyler broke away from the kiss. He removed his wallet from his back pocket, removing his protection. Melissa smiled. She kicked off her shoes, hiked up her skirt, and then pulled off her panties.

Tyler slipped on the condom. He looked elatedly over at Melissa. She grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him into her. He kissed her again, sliding her dress down her shoulders. Remarkably, she wasn't wearing a bra. He kissed her deeply before working his lips down her neck, her chest, and sucking feverishly on her breasts.

She moaned lowly as she twirled her fingers through his hair. Tyler took ahold of his heated rod and Melissa pushed her legs higher and wider apart. He eased himself into her tight slit, slowly, relishing in her fiery core.

"Melissa," he moaned.

He burrowed himself in her tight sheath as he repeatedly kissed her and fondly tugged on her nipples. She rocked her hips underneath him, allowing his cock to glide deeper into her saturated snatch. She was impatient for him to work her over. Tyler didn't ignore her silent pleas. He pushed his body away from hers and watched as he drove himself faster and deeper into her.

"Yes," Melissa panted as she fisted his shirt, watching him pound her with vigor.

Damon could not have picked the most inopportune time to visit the front of his house for some peace and quiet from the others and to simply check the premises from unwanted guest. He frowned once stepping out the front door, smelling sex in the air and hearing moaning in the near distance.

He looked over to Tyler's car seeing it just a rocking.

"Great. Everybody's getting it but me," he pouted and then went back inside. He walked slowly through the foyer, sipping on his bourbon. He looked up the stairs and decided to check on Natasha, although the baby monitor was downstairs with them, he still needed to make sure his little one was safe and sound and all snuggled in.

He walked slowly up the stairs. The moment he arrived, he caught a strange scent, which really wasn't all that odd entirely. He remembered that aroma. He had dated it, but he had been away from it so long that it was no longer a desired one, one he aspired to run to.

He walked into his bedroom, seeing Elena staring down at Natasha, her back to him.

Damon flashed to the monitor, turning it off. "Why are you in here?" he asked, his voice cold and distant, giving her a pensive and taciturn look.

Elena turned slowly around to face him, a stoic look on her face.

"I wanted to see the baby. Bonnie said that I could check on her," she answered timidly, her voice dry.

"Well, you've seen her. Now you can go."

Elena huffed and crossed her arms. "Look, Damon. I'm not here to start any trouble. I get that you're in love with Bonnie, and that you want to be with her. I'm not trying to get in the way of that. Can we just try to be civil to one another, for Bonnie?"

Damon looked at her for a moment. His face unreadable. He scratched his forehead and then sniggered and shuffled a tad on his feet.

"I remember a time where it was you telling me to get along with Bonnie for you. My, have times changed." He looked down at the floor in thought.

Elena smiled, "Yes, they have, and for the better, I might add."

"I agree."

"We were all wrong for each other, Damon. Why didn't we see it? I feel like I've lost and wasted so much of my life in a dead relationship."

"Being with you was no picnic for me either, sweetheart." Damon frowned.

"I'm sorry, Damon. I wasn't trying to hurt your feelings."

"You didn't hurt my feelings, Elena. In order to do that, I'd have to care what you think, and I don't."

"I know you don't care about how I feel, but I did love you, Damon."

"No, no you didn't. You didn't love me, Elena. You were sired, and for the life of me, you chose me, and I bet you can't even say why, because I sure can't."

"I loved you because you were… you were… you made me feel… I felt so alive with you?" She shrugged. Elena's sincere explanation turned into her questioning herself and the love she claimed to feel for him.

"Elena, please stop. Let's just go on with our lives. When you come around, I'll be civil, or I'll disappear, depending on what mood I'm in. For the life of me, I can't see why Bonnie would want you around, but it is what it is. Anyway, can you leave? My baby's asleep, so." Damon used his thumb, pointing to the door.

Elena looked wretchedly at him as she fiddled nervously with her fingers.

"Okay, Damon." She started walking to the door, but she looked back at him before fully leaving. "I really am sorry, Damon, and I'm glad that you've found happiness with Bonnie. I wish you two all the best. I truly mean that."

Damon pondered over her words. He could still smell her scent and feel her presence in the room. He smirked. He was pleased with her apology. She was sincere. He appreciated that. Bonnie, Natasha, and his new way of life was indeed rubbing off on him.

"I wish you all the best, too, Elena," he said, his back still to her.

She smiled and then left the room. She ran back downstairs, joining the others. It felt good to finally make the rounds at seeking forgiveness from all the people she cared about. Elena was dying to make a new start. To be the person she once was but even better. She knew the road wouldn't be easy, and that there would be bumps along the way, but she had to start somewhere.

o. O. o.

The night went along swimmingly, despite a few hiccups along the way. Zinnia and Tupac found out what it was like to really be drunk. Tupac was falling all over himself, intoxicated, and had to be dragged up to their room. Since Enzo and Cassie moved out, there was a spare bedroom for them at the boarding house.

The gang sat around discussing Liv and Jo's murder and wondered who would want them dead. They then talked about Bonnie and Damon's wedding. Melissa and Caroline argued about who would plan it. Caroline won. Melissa bowed out. She couldn't take the vampire's whining and her persistence any longer. Tyler found their little cat fight quite adorable as well as Enzo.

Elena forced herself to be happy about the news of Bonnie and Damon's upcoming ceremony. She couldn't show that it hurt her and that she was a little jealous of Damon for finding happiness so quickly before her. Deep down, she resented him for that.

Elena's train of thought was derailed when she watched Lucy and Stefan go inside the house hand in hand.

Lucy and Stefan went down to the wine cellar to fetch a bottle of wine for Zinnia. They strolled around the room, pulling out bottle after bottle reciting the date and the name of the wine aloud. Lucy was impressed with their collection as well as Stefan's buns of steel.

She grabbed him by the wrist and whirled him around to her.

"Mm, what's this?" Stefan kissed Lucy and wrapped his arm around her waist bringing her closer to him.

"I'm rethinking this whole abstinence thing, or maybe just thinking I should give you something to tie you over," she purred and then pecked his lips sensually, letting her lips linger for a spell.

"Mm, it's your call. You're the boss," Stefan replied seductively.

"Unf, why don't I just take a knee." She cut her eyes alluringly at him as she shoved him into the shelf filled with wine, causing the bottles to cling against the case.

She slowly floated to the floor. Stefan bit his bottom lip as he watched her undo his pants. He tilted his head back to the heavens and hummed as she took his slightly erect penis into her hand and teased it with the tip of her tongue. Stefan came unglued with just the simple fluttering of her tongue against his rounded tip.

Lucy then wrapped her lips around his hardness and slowly glided her mouth over his tumescent flesh. She went slow and then quickened her pace, and once again, Damon picked the most ill-fated time to take a walk about as he ventured down to the cellar to get the bottle of wine for Zinnia that Stefan and Lucy were supposed to acquire.

"Really, Stefan, and Lucy!"

"Ahhh!" Lucy jumped up, screaming and ran for cover. Stefan hurried and covered himself, looking at Damon, mortified.

"Dude! What the hell? We were coming right back?"

"When? After you rounded home base? Jesus," Damon spat and then took a bottle of Chateau La Mission from the shelf and hurried back upstairs.

"He's gone, babe."

"Oh my God, this is so embarrassing. I'm never going to be able to face him, again," Lucy said, devastated.

o. O. o.

Damon came back outside, piqued and jealous of everyone around him making love and getting it on but him and Bonnie. He wanted Bonnie so badly that he couldn't stand to sleep next to her some nights. He hadn't been with her in weeks. They hadn't made love in several days before leaving New Earth. They hadn't been together at all since they got back, and he was fit to be tied.

Bonnie noticed the rankled look on Damon's face as he poured Zinnia a glass of wine. She walked over to him, sweeping her warm touch across his back, fueling his already salacious longing.

"Yeah." Damon turned around to her, giving her a sweltering look.

Bonnie cleared her throat after meeting his wanton gaze. "You look uptight. Do you want to go for a walk?"

"Yeah." He paused, "Sure." He exhaled, a serious look on his face.

Bonnie took Damon by the hand. They walked off the patio, out onto the grounds, and strolled to the pond.

Elena watched them with a somber look in her eyes. She then looked back at the house, expecting Stefan and Lucy to come back out. Next, she eyed Caroline and Enzo who were having the most adorable conversation. She could tell that they were trying to get to know one another on a more intimate level. All the pairing off around her made Elena feel lonely.

"So, what's your favorite color?" Enzo asked.

"Yellow, and yours?"

"Black. Always black."

"Oh, you're Mister Cool Dude, right?" She giggled.

"I have to stay cool for the ladies."

"Oh yeah, right. So, what would be your dream vacation?"

"Ooh, I don't know. Maybe get on a boat, and cruise around the world, stopping at every port, but not staying too long. I don't want to wear out my welcome." He smiled.

"That sounds like a vacation I'd want to be on," Caroline replied happily, as she looked out into the darkness all dreamy-eyed.

Elena sighed as she looked over at Zinnia, hoping she could engage in conversation with her. She was willing to do anything to get her mind off of all the love birds around her. Unfortunately, Zinnia was captivated by the wine. Her eyelids were heavy. She was seconds away from passing out from all the drinking.

Elena then turned to Matt and Cassie who were also in a deep conversation about her breakup with Jeremy.

Elena sat her liquor down on the table and then lay down on the sofa. She propped her head up on her arm. She had no intention of going to sleep, but that's exactly what she did. Her mind instantly drifted off into a dream.

_She opened her eyes to see herself walking into Bonnie and Damon's bedroom. She was stark naked and a haze hindered her vision. The fog began to lift and suddenly she saw Bonnie riding Damon. _

"_Bonnie," she called._

"_Oh, hey, Elena. You want to join us?"_

"_Uh… uh… uh… okay," she replied, and then walked over to them. _

"_Mmm, a threesome, with my two favorite girls." Damon grinned from ear to ear. _

_Bonnie stood up, getting in the reverse cowgirl position as she sat on top of Damon's erection, slowly easing herself down onto his girth. "Oh, it's so good Elena. Come on." Bonnie gave her a sexy smirk and then loudly moaned as Damon began to buck wildly into her. _

_Bonnie lay against Damon's chest as he continued to impale her. _

_Elena crawled between their legs. She closed her eyes and before she knew it, her tongue was brushing Bonnie's clit. She hummed lowly, enjoying the taste of Bonnie. She licked her even harder, flicking her tongue over Bonnie's precious nub and her drenched folds. _

_Bonnie screamed out with pleasure. Elena giggled as she immersed herself into what she was doing. She then licked Damon's balls, dick, as well as Bonnie's cunt, simultaneously, taking one long lick up one to the other._

"_Mm, can I join in?" a sultry voice called from behind. _

"_Hey brother. Get in here. Elena, you don't mind, do you?" Damon asked. _

_Elena giggled. She put her ass in the air, gripping the sheets tightly and patiently waited for Stefan to enter her. He slunk up to her and tenderly brushed her ass with his elongated cock. He then slid into her, sending Elena into a frenzy. _

"_Oh god! Oh god!" she moaned as Stefan gripped her ass, spreading it apart as he pumped unmercifully into her pussy. _

_Elena wailed loudly as her body scooted across the bed. She then opened her eyes to see Bonnie's inviting slit and Damon's pale cock rubbing feverishly against her clit as he entered and exited her. She resumed her licking and lamented in between breaths. _

"_I feel so alive! You make me feel so alive!" she screamed. _

Elena ripped herself away from the sofa, screaming. "I feel so alive!" She then looked fitfully around her, hoping no one saw her or was paying attention to her loud outburst. Her eyes wandered over the peculiar faces, and then she came to Zinnia.

"I feel so alive, too!" she screamed, and everyone laughed. Elena jumped off the couch and ran into the house, gob-smacked.

o. O. o.

Bonnie and Damon walked around the pond hand in hand. He strolled along with a hand in his pocket, brooding. Bonnie beamed as she cuddled next to her big strong, strapping guy.

"What's on your mind, Damon?"

He sighed, meditating over his answer and over everything he was feeling in this moment. The more he thought about things, the more he began to see them in a better light. He saw just how unimportant sex was, and how it wasn't even a fraction of what a marriage was about. He looked down at Bonnie with stars in his eyes.

"I'm happy, you know that?"

"Well, you better be," she said.

They tittered.

"So, that miffed look on your face earlier was nothing?"

"Well… something was bothering me, but it's nothing important. It's just that everyone's having sex or getting some form of satisfaction around here. It's like one big damn orgy."

Bonnie titled her head back to nature's ceiling, howling at Damon's remark. "I just had a baby, Damon. In case you've forgotten."

"I haven't forgotten, but it's been a little over a month." Damon whined.

"I tried to give you satisfaction the other night, but you said, no, you just had the baby." Bonnie halted, stopping Damon in his tracks, too.

He looked down, his wide-eyes meeting Bonnie's curious gaze.

"Stefan, gave you his blood. Vampire blood heals everything. We can be together."

"Damon, we shouldn't. The doctor said we should at least wait six weeks. What if I get pregnant, again? My body can't handle that kind of stress, I'm sure."

"Stefan's blood healed you, Bonnie. You're perfectly fine."

"Are we really having a marital spat about sex?"

"Not a spat, Bonnie. A discussion, about things that matter." Damon swooped her up in his arms, pecking her lips and nipping her on her neck. She wrapped her arms around him, becoming putty in his hands.

"If you think I'm giving in to you, you're mistaken. We can't have sex, and I don't want to get pregnant, at least not right now."

"Bonnie, I'm sure the effects of the verdant has worn off," he disputed.

"…and what if it hasn't?"

"It's a fruit, Bonnie. It wasn't a surgical procedure that turned me into a baby making animal, I'm sure."

"You're incorrigible." Bonnie snickered.

"Come on, Bonnie. Make love to your husband." Damon parted her lips with his, kissing her deeply.

He lowered them slowly to the ground, gazing down on his tawny bemused beauty with yearning. He wanted her. He had to have her. He lifted her blouse and then removed it with Bonnie's help.

She skimmed her fingers over his covered chest and strong arms, her breath easing as she gazed up at her milky and dangerously handsome guy with an ardent look in her eyes.

Damon lazily stroked his fingers down to Bonnie's jeans, undoing them. He snatched them off in a blaze, causing her to loudly grunt from the sheer force of his strength. He smirked at seeing her flabbergasted look. She smiled. She knew that he was going to give her a good thrashing. She wanted it just as much as he did, if not more.

Damon undid his pants. His pale hardness popped out, bouncing with its freedom. Bonnie licked her fingers and gently stoked him. He took a deep breath, uttering 'yes' to the wonderful tracing of her fingers as they glided over his rigidness.

He leaned down to hover over her, working his pants further down his legs. It had been so long since they had been together that it felt like the first time.

Damon grabbed his engorged stem, flicking it across Bonnie's inflamed lower lips. She gripped the blades of grass and wriggled underneath him. His large bulbous head brushing her clit awakened every part of her. Damon pushed himself inside, his girth widening her tiny opening.

"Yes," she moaned, fisting the arm of his shirt as he pressed his hard body to hers. Damon palmed her breasts, licking and tugging on her erect nipples as he slowly drove his cock into her.

Bonnie scooted his shirt over his beef cakes, now feeling his skin against hers. She coiled her legs around his, her heels now resting against his toned thighs. He gained momentum as he rammed his rod into her damp canal.

Damon threaded his fingers through Bonnie's hair as he thrust his cock inside her. That heady feeling that he got whenever he was embraced by her warm, wet flesh enveloped him. He wanted his entire body inside of her. Bonnie lay beneath him, moaning and grunting her instant pleasure, her thighs relaxed and open, her slim legs bent at the knees with her heels resting laxly against his ass. Unable to contain her ecstasy, she squirmed, the sweat of her belly rubbing against his sensitive skin as she reached out for something above her head to hold onto.

"Bonnie," he whispered into her ear, his lips against her skin.

She pulled on grass, uprooting it from the earth as he continued to pound her cunt, expanding and filling her with his thickness. Bonnie tightened her legs against his thighs as her drenched channel dribbled all over his cock.

Stefan and Lucy rejoined the others. "Where the hell is Damon?" Stefan questioned. "Bastard," he mumbled.

"He and Bonnie went for a walk," Matt answered.

Stefan listened keenly to the environment, hearing Bonnie panting off in the distance.

"Lucy, come on," Stefan said, sniggering.

"What is it?"

"You won't be embarrassed around my brother, now." He grabbed Lucy by the hand and they crept stealthily out to the bushes around the pond, to the sound of Bonnie and Damon's euphoric cries.

Stefan grinned deviously once spying the couple. He spread the bushes so that Lucy could get a good look, too.

"Damon, I hear something," Bonnie said, her eyes widening.

"It's nothing, baby," he panted, rocking his hips madly against hers, his raven bush massaging her clitoris, driving Bonnie mad with bliss.

"Okay, okay," Bonnie said winded, putting her focus back on Damon's cock plunging into her snug core.

"What are you guys looking at?" Tyler asked as he and Melissa came creeping up alongside them.

"Bonnie and Damon doing it," Stefan replied.

"Oh, let me see." Tyler squeezed in between Lucy and Stefan, delighted by the scene playing out in front of him.

"Damon, I swear I hear something. We have to stop," Bonnie warned.

"Nooo, it's getting so good. I'm almost there," he griped.

Damon knew they were there, watching. It was precisely why he didn't want to hear them. He didn't want anything disrupting his flow. He could smell their scent in the air, but he couldn't stop. Not now. Not when that wonderful feeling rising in his groin and the tingling in his stomach called to him so imploringly to be released.

"HEY EVERYBODY! IT'S ME AND GOLDEN VAGINA!" Zinnia shouted as she walked up with her arm wrapped around Elena.

"What… what… what?" Elena gave her an odd look.

"Shhh." Tyler and Stefan warned.

"What are we looking at?!" Zinnia inquired, still yelling.

"Be quiet," Stefan hissed and then spread the branches wider for Zinnia and Elena to see.

"Oh my..." Elena swallowed deeply at seeing Damon's ass bobbing and weaving as he banged Bonnie.

She instantly called to mind her erotic dream. She had foreseen this moment. She knew that they were having sex. They had a child for heaven's sake, but never in a million years could she picture them sprawled out on the ground fucking like two madly in love teenagers.

Elena was taken from her thoughts as she felt the weight of someone hanging on her. She looked to her left, seeing Stefan's arm resting on her as if she were one of the guys. She stared at him absorbedly, not able to take her eyes of his tan, smooth skin. He was picture perfect.

Stefan laughed and then turned to Elena, still cackling. She smiled at him. He sobered at seeing her look at him so affectionately.

"You okay?" he asked sweetly.

"Uh, yeah. I'm okay," she answered distractedly.

Stefan wrapped his strong arm around her shoulder and gave her a friendly cuddle. Elena wrapped her arm around his back, placing it right over Lucy's.

_Oh shit! What have I done?_ Stefan immediately became worried, troubled about what kind of mixed messages he was sending Elena.

He looked at Lucy, who wasn't even bothered. He gleamed at seeing her so confident and secure in their relationship. He kissed her cheek. Lucy grinned at him before kissing him, and just like that, with his arm still around Elena. He managed to make her feel like she was invisible.

"I can't believe I'm watching my cousin have sex. I'm a thirty-year old woman for god sakes." Lucy spat.

"I know. Isn't it fun? I feel so alive." Zinnia was tickled.

"Here I'm come," Damon said.

"Oh, here comes the finale," Tyler said, guffawing.

"Cum inside me," Bonnie panted, by this time she didn't care who was watching. She was fully focused on Damon's dick prodding and gliding in and out of her suctioning cunt.

"Ah, ah, oh god." Damon pushed himself away from her, pulling his elongated shaft out to the tip, pulsing inside Bonnie's throbbing cunt. "Oh god, I coming inside you."

"Yes. It feels so good," Bonnie bemoaned.

"Let's go. Let's go." Stefan whispered and they all took off.

Damon looked down on Bonnie, floating on air. She looked up at him, still in total shock over screwing her husband, knowing that all of her friends were laughing and watching. Amazingly, them being there just intensified everything.

The things that she let Damon talk her into…but even so, she loved him and he was utterly in love with her. They were perfect. Yin and yang. Push and pull. She'd say stop, and he'd said go.

She was the truth and the light and he was darkness and deception, but they always met in the middle, compromising. They always made it work, no matter if it were raising a baby, annihilating the bad guy, or deciding whether to make love or not outside on a clear beautiful night, stars shining down on them while the moon reflected off the water and their friends giggled and gawked in the bushes.

It was who they were, just Bonnie and Damon.

o. O. o.

Later that night, two o'clock in the morning, Damon was up. He had just fed Natasha and put her back to sleep. He and Bonnie decided to take turns getting up to check on her. Their extracurricular activities from that day left them both dog tired. There was no teaming up tonight.

After Damon put his little one down, he looked over at his bathroom, remembering the words that he had spoken to Tupac about it being a man's throne. But it had been over a century since Damon had a throne. He went to the bathroom, flicked on the light, and walked to the toilet. He lifted and closed the lid. He smiled, he couldn't believe he'd miss something as simple as going to the bathroom.

It was all a part of being human which he wasn't anymore. He pulled down his pajama bottoms and then sat on his throne. He then grabbed one of Bonnie's magazines and opened it. Damon sat there for a few seconds, realizing he wasn't all that comfortable. He adjusted on the seat, trying to find the right position for his balls and penis.

"Now this, I don't miss," he said and then laughed at the hilarity of it all.


	26. Chapter 26: Vampire Witch

A/N: Okay, this chapter moves fast, setting up a lot of things for future SL's and to help propel the story along. Going in some new directions with some characters. :/

I hope you all enjoy.

Please leave a prompt about your favorite scenes, lines, moment, etc.

**Oblivion Chapter 26: Little Ms. Witch Vampire**

The gangs get together for Tupac flowed over into the wee hours of the morning. Everyone crashed at the boarding house for the night. Elena passed out on one couch in the living room. Matt passed out on the other sofa, and Cassie slept in one of the guest bedrooms.

Since the gang returned from the prison world for the cure, Tyler's senses were going berserk. He was waking up at all hours of the night and the wee hours of the morning. He couldn't figure out why. He decided against telling Melissa about how he was feeling. He didn't want to worry her or anyone else for that matter.

He crept around the house, looking in every nook and cranny, and then outside around the property.

He came back inside to a dark house, but noticed that Elena was gone from the living room. He heard clinking and thumping around in the kitchen. His senses didn't alert him to danger, so he was in no rush to see what it was. He sauntered in to the room, seeing Elena sitting at the table, drinking coffee at four in the morning.

"Why are you drinking coffee? It's four in the morning," Tyler said and then chuckled.

"I know," Elena said tiredly, combing her fingers through her hair in frustration. "If you had the dreams that I've been having, you'd be drinking coffee too. I'll do anything to stay awake and never go back to sleep, again."

"What happened? What did you dream about?" Tyler questioned worriedly as he pulled up a chair to sit beside her.

Elena folded her arms over the table, a faraway look in her eyes. She then giggled at the hilarity of her situation.

"I…" she sighed deeply, "I had a dream that Bonnie and Damon were having sex, and then I joined them, and then Stefan joined in too." Elena cut her eyes shamefully at Tyler who had a puzzled look on his face.

"Let me get this straight. Bonnie and Damon were having sex, and then you joined them, and then Stefan joined in too?" Tyler explained with a straight face.

Elena nodded hesitantly, twiddling her thumbs on top of the table.

Tyler belted out a riotous laugh. Elena looked wide-eyed at him for a second and then smiled and shook her head.

"I'm glad that you find my situation amusing," she said and shook her head, again.

"You have to admit, it's kind of funny. I'm surprised Caroline didn't show up," he teased and then chuckled.

"Ugh, don't go planting her in my dreams too." Elena smiled sweetly at Tyler. He returned her affection gaze.

"So, I don't suppose you can tell me the meaning of my dream?"

"Mm." Tyler tapped his fingers against the wooden table. "Maybe it means you're totally fine with Damon and Bonnie being together, but you still harbor deep feelings for Stefan. I don't know." He shrugged and then let out a soft chortle. Tyler just threw out a random idea and it inadvertently piqued Elena's interest.

"Oh, my god, Tyler. You could be on to something," Elena said, thrilled.

"Uh, on to what?"

"My acceptance of Bonnie and Damon and my feelings for…" She halted mid-sentence.

She knew that she still loved Stefan, but she wasn't sure if she really wanted to confess her still lingering feelings for him. Especially after all the heartache and pain that she had caused him.

Tyler's cheery expression diminished. He could see the misery, blanketing Elena.

"You still love him, don't you?"

Elena was speechless and suddenly unable to answer the question before her.

"I guess I've never stopped loving him. It's weird that when I was with Damon, I couldn't remember or feel this love that I'm feeling for Stefan at this moment, but now that I'm human again, everything is all coming back to me. Is that weird?" She looked at Tyler, hoping he had all the answers.

"You went through a lot during that time in your life. You drowned. You came back as a vampire. You were sired; you lost your brother, and you turned off your humanity. You had to deal with a lot, Elena."

"You don't need to make excuses for me, Tyler. I was a monster," Elena said, her voice raspy and a sad look in her eyes.

"I'm not making excuses for you. I just want you to feel better." He smiled.

Elena placed her hand on his knee, gently rubbing it. Tyler placed his hand over hers, squeezing it. He then remembered how Elena could've died because of him.

"I'm glad you're okay, Elena. I don't know what I would've done if you had died because of me. I'm so sorry."

"Don't feel bad about what happened, Tyler. You were protecting everyone from me. I was being irrational, and looking back on how I acted that night, makes me hate myself."

"Yeah, you acted pretty badly." Tyler chuckled.

"Ugh, you're not supposed to agree." Elena slapped him on the arm.

"I'm supposed to agree. I'm your friend, and that's what real friends do, they call you out on your bullshit."

"Touché." Elena smiled.

"Come here. Give me a hug. It's so good to have my friend back." Tyler leaned into Elena and wrapped his arms around her.

Elena closed her eyes, tenderly caressing his back as he held onto her. She hadn't felt a hug so warm and caring in a long time. Though Matt had hugged her for what seemed like a thousand times lately, his embraces began to feel routine, like he had to do it and he had to be there for her, but Tyler's hug was just the right amount of everything. It made Elena feel all tingling inside.

She slowly pulled away from him, staring him deep in the eyes. "It's so good to be back." She flashed him her pearly whites.

o. O. o.

Damon slowly squinted his eyes as the blaring sunrays burst through the sheer curtains of their room, calling to him to wake up from his slumber. The luminous beams were no match for Natasha's wailing. She wiggled about her little bed, causing it to jerk from side to side. Her screaming got louder and louder, waking Bonnie.

"Natasha! It's okay baby. Mommy's coming," Bonnie exclaimed groggily.

Damon then heard Bonnie's voice ring out. He smiled. His favorite two people in the entire world were right here and now, alive and well, with him, and he couldn't ask for anything more.

"Natasha!" Bonnie wailed.

Damon widened his eyes and then flashed to them. He skimmed his hands frantically over Natasha's tiny frame, inspecting her with a fearful and keen eye.

"What's wrong? What's wrong?" Damon chanted, terrified.

"Look at her! She's huge!" Bonnie shouted.

Damon's panic eased once realizing that the situation wasn't as dire as he believed. He then looked at Natasha's who's too little diaper was practically falling off of her and her onesie that was ripped at the seam.

"She's aged," he whispered, astonished.

Bonnie dragged herself over to the bed, a dejected look in her eyes, carrying a sobbing Natasha in her arms. Damon watched her carefully, wondering what was on her mind.

Natasha cried and cried. She was miserable. Her diaper had finally fallen off of her, and she was hungry. Bonnie sat on the bed, paralyzed with an abundance of emotions and had completely lost sight of what was important, her daughter.

Damon finally regained his senses. He walked over to them and took Natasha. He flashed her to the baby changing table and placed her in a clean cloth diaper. He bounced her in his arms, kissed her forehead, and ran his fingers through her longer and much wavier chestnut hair before putting his focus back on a statues Bonnie who just stared off into space.

"So, our infant is now a full grown baby," Damon said, plopping down on the bed.

Bonnie remained silent.

Damon gazed at the side of her face. He smirked at how serious Bonnie was being in this moment.

"We're wasting precious time with our baby girl, Bon-nie," he said in a singsong voice.

"She grew over night, Damon." Bonnie finally found her voice.

"Yes… she did, but she's still a baby. See." Damon pushed Natasha's sweet little moist face into Bonnie's.

Natasha grunted and jabbered as she touched her mother's face. Bonnie looked seriously at her puffy eyed baby who's eyes were still moistened with her unshed tears.

Bonnie could no longer hold onto her gloomy thoughts as she dazed at her little angel.

"What do you say, Bon Bon? Do you really want to waste precious seconds and minutes sulking about something we can't control?"

"No." Bonnie smiled and then kissed Natasha on the cheek.

"That's my girl. So, what do you want to do today?"

"I want to spend all day with Natasha. Let's take her to the park and walk her around in the stroller. I'm sure she won't have use for it much longer, and I want pictures of her. Real pictures, that have to be developed," Bonnie answered.

"I bet she can crawl." He smiled.

"Tomorrow she'll be walking," she said sadly.

"The way I see it, B-town, we have tons of the verdant. You can take us back to New Earth anytime we want. We can always make more of these little ones."

"…and who the hell said I want to be a breeder for all the days of my life," she said sassily and Damon loudly chuckled.

"Don't you start that, Natasha," Damon said playfully and then kissed his fussy little girl on the cheek and smiled.

"She's hungry, and I doubt my milk alone will fill her up. Let's make her a bowl of baby cereal," Bonnie suggested.

"A bowl of cereal it is. What if she wants a sausage?"

"She doesn't have teeth, Damon."

"She can chew on it with her gums."

Bonnie laughed.

o. O. o.

Everyone was up and sitting around the kitchen table, everyone except for Tupac who was lying on the sofa. He had a killer hangover. He did not go easy on the booze. He had never felt a buzz like the one he felt when he drunk Damon's favorite bourbon or when he smoked Tyler's very potent weed.

Zinnia also had a slight hangover, but she wouldn't let that stop her from sitting around the table with the rest of the gang, socializing.

She leaned back in the chair, a cold compress against her forehead, sipping on Alka Seltzer.

"Morning, Tupac," Damon loudly greeted.

"Will you shut up?" Tupac yelled from under the pillow.

"Excuse me," Damon replied, his eyes narrow, and a scowl on his face.

"Oh God." Bonnie rolled her eyes. She grabbed Natasha and made a b-line for the kitchen. She wasn't in the mood to hear Tupac and Damon go at it like a married couple, yet again.

Tupac sprung to a seated position and glowered at Damon, "I said… be quiet. You're too loud. My head hurts, and my stomach is in knots."

"Well take your ass back upstairs to the comfortable room that I have provided for you and go to sleep, but don't tell me to shut up in my own house."

"In Gardenia, we don't lay around all day, especially when we are guest in someone else's home. Now go in the kitchen with the others, and quietly bring me back a cup of tea. Please, and thank you," Tupac snapped, laid back down, resting his cool towel back on his forehead, and covered his head with the pillow.

"Oh, I'll quietly bring you something alright." Damon lunged for Tupac but was halted by Stefan.

"Easy big guy. He's our guest." Stefan smirked.

"He can't order me around in my own house."

"I know he can't, but just try to focus on the good things in life and forget about the mean old man with the headache." Stefan teased as he nudged Damon along to the kitchen.

Damon entered the room to see Elena holding Natasha. He hurried over to Bonnie, displeased.

"What's wrong with you?" Bonnie asked.

"You trust the doppelganger with our baby?" Damon whispered. He had forgotten all about how he accepted Elena's genuine apology from last night. He still had trust issues when it came to her. Knowing that she had attacked him and Bonnie, he now knew that Elena was capable of hurting him and his family if she got angry enough.

Bonnie stared up at him for a second. "You have every right not to trust her, but she seems to want to do right. Let's give her a chance. Please, for me?" she bat her lashes at him.

Damon tilted his head back to the ceiling and rolled his eyes. "The things I do for you," he said.

He leaned into Bonnie, nudging her nose with his and then kissed her.

Elena was watching them. It was weird for her to see Damon kissing someone other than her, and it was really hard for her to fully accept that he was kissing Bonnie Bennett of all people. She always thought they hated each other, but oddly, she wasn't angry with them for being together.

She was a little jealous. She resented Damon for getting everything that she had always desired. A small part of her wished that Bonnie would dump him so that he would be just as miserable as she was.

"Is my princess ready to eat?" Bonnie nuzzled Natasha's wavy hair with her fingers.

"She is so beautiful, Bonnie," Elena said as she handed Natasha off to her mother.

Natasha fisted Elena's chocolate tresses, taking them with her as she went.

"Wow, Elena. She likes you." Damon cleared his throat after his forced omission of niceness.

"She kind of looks like you, Damon," Elena said to be nice and because it was the truth.

"This is true," Damon said, gloating, and Elena frowned.

It was all she could do to keep from smacking the smug look right off of his face.

"You know, on second thought, she looks just like her mother. She looks exactly like you, Bonnie."

"Oh, my god. You really think so?" Bonnie beamed, and Damon grimaced as he looked over at an evil leering Elena.

"Yup, she sure does," Elena reiterated.

Damon rolled his eyes and walked off.

"So, what are we doing tonight? I had so much fun last night that I want to do it all over again," said Caroline, all perky.

"Uhhh," Zinnia groaned from underneath her cool compress, still leaning back in the chair. Everyone laughed.

"Why don't we let, Zinnia and Tupac, rest today and maybe tonight if they're feeling better, Lucy and I can take them for a night out on the town," Stefan suggested.

"Stefan, I really need to stay here with Bonnie. You know, just in case Shing decides to show up."

"Lucy, you don't need to worry about me. I can handle, Shing. I did it back in Gardenia, I can do it here," Bonnie said confidently.

"I don't know, Bonnie," she replied worriedly.

"Come on, Lucy. Tyler's here, and Melissa can help out." Stefan winked at Melissa and she winked back.

"I don't know." Lucy folded her arms, a concerned look on her face. Stefan wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her into him. He showered the side of her face with sweet kisses.

"Come on, spend some time with your guy?" Stefan whispered into her ear.

Elena took in a sharp intake of air. She hated that she wasn't in Lucy's shoes.

"Ugh, okay." Lucy turned her gaze to Stefan's and then gave him a chaste kiss.

Damon looked over at a jealous Elena, and then at his brother and Lucy. A devious thought came to mind. "You two are so hot for each other," he said and then evilly grinned at Elena. She rolled her eyes at him and marched out of the room.

.o .O. o.

Tyler and Melissa walked hand in hand in the park with Bonnie and Damon who walked Natasha in her gold and pink stroller.

She kicked her little legs about and happily grunted as the sun beat down on them.

Bonnie had just gotten used to Natasha being an infant, and now here she was, a full grown baby. This was unreal to her. Knowing each day with her baby could be Bonnie's last, unnerved her, but she was determined to take it all in stride, to enjoy every stage of Natasha's growth to the fullest.

"I cannot believe she's so big," Bonnie said as the thought of it continued to roll around at the front of her brain.

Damon on the other hand, was not as panic-stricken as Bonnie. He couldn't wait for Natasha to be of some size so that he could take her places and do things with her. She was not only his baby girl, she was his little vampire, and one day she'd be feeding herself, and he would show her how to feed, straight from the tap. He'd get Bonnie's permission of course, but he was for sure that she'd be okay with it.

"Yeah, my heart can't take how precious she is. I can't wait until she's a teenager," Damon said distractedly, still imagining an older Natasha. He looked down at her all dressed up in her animal print leggings, white body suit, and matching hat, smiling.

"Yeah, you can't imagine all the boys that are going to come beating at our door." Bonnie laughed.

"Now why would you say that, Bon Bon? Why would you plant a thought like that in my head?" Damon questioned unbelievably, giving Bonnie a heated look. She roared.

Kai watched and lurked around the park, watching Bonnie and Damon with Natasha. He came as himself. He pretended to read the paper on the bench under the lush maple trees. He was so anxious to steal Bonnie's and Natasha's power that he was trembling, but he had to be patient. He still needed to merge with Luke. He needed to be at his best self before barging into a house filled with witches and century old vampires.

Kai smiled sinisterly. Dooms day was fast approaching.

.o. O. o.

Damon and Bonnie lucked out and found a professional portrait studio that only had a view appointments for the day.

Bonnie dressed Natasha up in a heather grey pleated dress with shimmery dots that she adorned with Lucy's string of pearls and her Mary Jane's. Bonnie simply picked out her wavy hair with her fingers and dressed it up with a headband decorated with a silver glittery bow. She dressed similar to Natasha in a short, tailored flared grey dress with cap sleeves and matching necklace. She wore her hair in a ponytail and draped it over her left shoulder.

Damon went, well… as Damon in a simple grey t-shirt, jeans and bed head. Picture day was not his thing. He did it strictly for Bonnie.

The photographer posed them accordingly. The first image was of mother and father lying on the floor, smiling at their baby sandwiched between them, a white covering over them as they played peekaboo with Natasha. This was a full proof pose that made Natasha brightly grin. It only took him two tries to get the perfect image.

"Perfect," Daniel said elated.

"Yay, Natasha, you didn't cry." Damon kissed her and then winked at Bonnie.

They were on their fourth pose. First Bonnie held Natasha and then Damon. Inside, he was screaming. He was tired of the multiple takes and all the different poses, but he manned up, for Bonnie.

Natasha on the other hand, was done. She was hungry and sleepy. She fussed whined and wiggled about. Bonnie tried everything from treats, toys, played peekaboo, and smothered her with love.

"Maybe we should call it a day. We've taken tons of pictures with a few good poses. I think we're good."

"No!" Bonnie exploded.

Damon widened his eyes. He wondered if this women standing in front of him were still Bonnie. "Ok, you're the boss." He threw his hands in the air, riled. They finally got Natasha settled enough for Daniel to get more photos.

He set up the last pose. Damon sat down on the stump and Bonnie sat down on the stool between his legs, resting against his left leg and Natasha sat on his right.

"Cheese!"

Damon smirked. Natasha was caught about to cry, and Bonnie gave him her sparkling smile.

"Oops, you closed your eyes Damon."

"What, no I didn't?"

"If he said you closed your eyes, Damon, then you closed your eyes," she scolded.

"Great," Damon huffed.

"Let's try it again. Smile!"

Daniel snapped the picture. Everyone gave the same expression.

"Uh, oh, your eyes were closed again."

"That's a lie." Damon jumped up, Natasha in hand, and marched over to the camera. Sure enough, his eyes were closed.

"Shit!"

"Third times a charm!" Daniel playfully shouted.

A cranky baby and five more takes later, they were done.

"Did the pictures turn out good?" Bonnie asked

"Uh, oh yeah, sure," he said, and then rushed away snickering. Bonnie frowned.

While Bonnie was speaking with Daniel, Damon was rushing like a mad man to get their things together. He was afraid the man would want them to pose, again.

"Bonnie, you should've brought a bottle for Damon, too." Tyler mocked.

"You can walk home, mutt!"

.o. O. o.

One hour later, they were still trying to make memories with Natasha.

Damon and Bonnie sat on the pallet with Natasha for over an hour trying everything in their power to get her to crawl, but all she would do was roll back around on her back, speak baby gibberish, and suck on her toy. "Tyler, make sure the camcorder is on."

"Ok."

Damon would call to her from one end of the blanket and Bonnie from the other.

"Come on, Natasha. Crawl to me. You can't walk before you crawl," Bonnie said gloomily almost coming to tears.

"She's going to crawl, Bonnie. Don't cry," Melissa said encouragingly and held Bonnie's hand for comfort.

Damon laid on the floor alongside his baby, begging her to crawl for Bonnie. "Come on, Natasha. Crawl for mommy." He looked at the side of her sweet little mocha face, kissing her fat cheek. He couldn't take Bonnie being sad. It hurt him to the bone knowing that she might not ever get the chance to see Natasha walk or crawl.

Natasha begin to rock her body on her own. She looked at her mother, talking up a storm.

"Go Natasha! You can do it," Tyler said. Melissa cheered too.

"That's my girl," Damon said.

"Come on baby!" Bonnie beamed, her eyes glassed over with tears.

Natasha moved one hand forward, then the other, and then a knee and then the other. Damon jumped up off the floor and roared. Natasha fell to the ground and start crying because of his booming voice.

"Ah man, Damon sit your ass down!" Tyler snapped.

"Shit! Tyler make sure the camera's recording!" Damon blurted out and then sat back down.

"It is. Now sit down!" Tyler shot back.

"That's okay, Natasha. You can to it," Bonnie encouraged.

Natasha got to her hand and knees once more, rocked her body, and began to crawl to Bonnie, all over again. Damon was eager as he leaned into the pallet, subconsciously inching Natasha along.

"Oh my god, oh my god." Tyler gasped.

"Ohhh," Melissa squealed.

Bonnie held out her hands. Natasha crept across the floor in her little Nike's and pink romper with her wet lips, bright eyes, and wild wavy hair until she finally made it to her mother. Bonnie lifted her up off the floor and into her arms and laughed cried at how remarkable the entire moment was.

"You crawled for mommy!" Damon was overjoyed.

He rushed right over to them, enfolding his girls in his loving arms. Tyler continued to film what he believed to be the most adorable scene. "Aww." Melissa gushed.

.o. O. o.

"Bonnie, you can't have a black wedding gown." Caroline frowned.

"Why not? I'm a witch."

"…and now you're just being a bitch," Caroline said.

"Hey!" Bonnie threw a pillow at her and they laughed.

"I think Bonnie would look _hot, _in a black wedding gown," Damon said from the floor as he played with Natasha.

"Thank you, babe." Bonnie winked.

Elena looked quickly between them. She couldn't help but study how they acted with each other verses how she and Damon acted with each other. She especially was interested in the way Damon handled his child. She realized he was a really good father. She was quite impressed.

"This is what _I want_ for your wedding. I picture a small ceremony in the backyard, and for dinner we'll serve steak and chicken, for the obvious reasons. I will be the maid of honor, and Stefan will be the best man."

"Figures." Elena shook her head. Caroline was driving her bananas.

Caroline ignored Elena and continued, "I'll call around for an archway for the altar and get prices for floral arrangements and_ our_ bouquet first thing in the morning. We should start shopping for your gown this weekend. The sooner the better."

"Hey, I want chicken wings." Damon frowned.

"This is a wedding, not a hoedown."

"Ouch," Damon pouted. Tyler sniggered.

"Who's going to be Bonnie's bridesmaids?" Elena asked.

"Yeah," Melissa added.

"This is a small ceremony. I guess you didn't hear me," she answered sarcastically.

"Caroline!" Bonnie shouted.

Caroline rolled her eyes, irritated. "Jesus, Bonnie. Now we have to pick out bridesmaids dresses, too," she fussed.

"They better not be ugly dresses either," Melissa said, and Elena laughed.

"Careful, Melissa. You don't want to piss of the wedding planner," Damon joked. "Isn't that right, Natasha?"

"Da da da da," she blabbed.

"Oh my god, she said daddy! Damon said excitedly.

Bonnie hurried over to Natasha and Damon. "You love mommy too, don't you?"

"Da da da da," Natasha prattled, again.

Bonnie pouted and the others doubled over with laugher.

.o. O. o.

It was two weeks later, and Damon lay all sprawled out on the bed, naked, looking out into the room with a distraught look in his eyes, listening to three heartbeats, Bonnie's, Natasha's, and to the baby inside of her. He was sick. It was Gardenia all over again. He was so sure that the verdant fruit had worn off. He then got to thinking about how much of the fruit he had consumed while back in Gardenia.

_How the fuck can fruit give a person the power to procreate? Fuck! Fuck!_ He internally screamed. His first thought was to tell Bonnie, but he wanted to give her the chance to tell him that she was pregnant. They were married now. A husband and wife were supposed to celebrate milestones like having a baby, buying a new car or home.

_Damon what are you doing? You have to tell her. No, you deserve to have that special moment with your wife. Everyone knows about us now. Things won't be the same. _He reasoned with himself.

Natasha begin to cry. She was cranky a lot lately. Meredith believed she was teething. Damon dragged himself out of bed. He picked her up and then checked her diaper. She was dry.

He noticed Natasha rubbing her gums together intensely. Damon spread her lips with his finger, seeing her fangs trying to come in. He smirked. "It won't be long now."

Bonnie then awoke. She walked tiredly over to them. "Does she need changing? Is she hungry?"

"Her gums are swollen," Damon answered distractedly.

"Are you okay?" she asked, looking worriedly at him.

He couldn't help but focus on the faint heartbeat of his unborn baby. Bonnie continued to look oddly at him, awaiting his answer.

"I'm fine." He forced out a smile.

"I feel so nauseous. Here, let me take her. Will you get her teether?

Damon nodded.

Bonnie smiled, went back to bed, and laid Natasha down beside her. Damon zoomed to the kitchen. He couldn't stand to see his child so miserable.

He came back to the dimly lit room with a teether, cold towel, and sparkling water in hand. Bonnie laid on her back. Damon laid beside her and placed the towel on her belly. She rested her hand on the towel and smiled lovingly at him. He returned her affections before attending to Natasha. He rubbed her gums with the numbing gel and gave her the teether. She was now contented with her toy as she sat on the bed between her parents, talking her head off.

"Ma ma ma ma, da da da da."

Damon and Bonnie looked at each other and softly chortled. Damon reached out to Bonnie, taking her hand into his. Their eyes burrowed absorbedly into each other, a slight grin on their faces.

"I love you, Bonnie."

"I love you, too."

A pleasant silence cascaded down over them as they listened to Natasha carry on a conversation with herself.

"You think we'll wake up to a first grader?" she asked, a dismal look in her eyes.

"Mm, maybe, but it doesn't matter. We still have so many more special times and little moments like this ahead of us."

…and with that, happiness returned to Damon.

.o. O. o.

That morning, Bonnie walked into the kitchen with a sprightly gait. She was happy. She walked to the counter and began preparing breakfast for Natasha.

Stefan sat at the table, reading the paper, and sipped on his coffee. His eyes widened once hearing the faint heartbeat inside of Bonnie.

"Bonnie, you're pregnant!" Stefan shouted, astonished.

"Excuse me?" Bonnie whipped her head around to him.

"You're going to have a baby! I can hear its heartbeat!"

Bonnie's jaw dropped. She grabbed her stomach, walked over to the table and sat down. Stefan's revelation knocked the wind out of her. "I get a second chance," she whispered.

Stefan stood up, hovering over her as he gently rubbed her back. He was grinning from ear to ear. He was going to be an uncle twice over. He was elated.

"Oh, my god, Stefan. Do you know what this means?" Bonnie looked up at him all wide-eyed.

"No, what?"

"I get to tell Damon I'm having a baby. We get to have the entire experience as husband and wife!"

Stefan laughed. "Come on, Bonnie. I'm sure Damon knows. He's just waiting for the right moment to tell you."

"Okay, so maybe he knows, but he doesn't know how happy I am about it."

"This is true, so what are you thinking?"

"Well, I need to go over to Caroline's, you know, more wedding stuff, so while we're away, maybe my brother in law…" She smiled.

"Mm, hm," Stefan said and then grinned. Bonnie tittered

"I was hoping my brother-in-law would be nice enough to make a romantic dinner for his brother and me."

"Okay, I'll do it, but only for my sis."

"Aww." Bonnie sprang from her chair and gave Stefan a tight hug. He rocked her in place as he closed his eyes, smiling. He instantly remembered all the things Melissa had said to him about Bonnie. It was then that he thought about how much he cared for his dear friend and now sister-in-law. "I love you, Bonnie."

"I love you, too, Stefan." She smiled.

.o. O. o.

"Hello," Lucy answered.

"Hello, Lucy," he replied.

"Hayden?" she furrowed her brow.

"Yes."

She plopped down on the bed, stunned. She couldn't believe her ex-boyfriend had the gall to call her.

"What do you want, Hayden?" she asked with an attitude.

"I know the last person you want to hear from is me."

"You're damn right. You dumped me. You said you wanted nothing to do with the supernatural world then you moved to Mystic Falls?" she questioned in disbelief.

"I moved here because I thought I'd run into you. You moved away without any word. I left you tons of messages, begging you to forgive me. I was wrong. I still love you."

"I'm hanging up."

"NO! I need you. I'm in trouble. I'm under some lunatic's spell. You have to help me. They've taking over my life; my home, everything!"

"Tell it to someone who cares." Lucy hung up in his face. She sat on the side of the bed, not able to move. The last person she wanted to hear from was Hayden, a man that she still had lingering feelings for.

Hayden looked down at his phone, shattered by Lucy's rejection and her refusal to help him. He torpidly laid his phone down on the bathroom counter and slowly lifted his gaze to the mirror to see the tears that refused to fall. His eyes wandered over his bronze hair, chiseled face, slanted amber eyes with his aquiline nose and natural lips.

He skimmed over his chiseled chest and his eight pack of steel. He immediately remembered how Lucy's fingers dawdled over every bump, and how her hair would lightly brush his pecks when she laid her head down on his chest at night.

He fully regretted ever walking out on her to live a life of pretend, pretending not to be a four-hundred year old vampire. He went through such great lengths to leave the supernatural world behind, to separate himself from the madness, only for it to find him and thrust him smack dab back in the middle of it again. Now he needed that incredible witch to work her mojo and save him.

"Lucy," he whispered miserably.

"Hey, you." Stefan entered the room, wearing a happy expression. "What's wrong?" he asked, giving her a concerned look.

"Oh, nothing, just tired. Listen, I'm going over to see Cassie. She needs me to take her on a few errands."

"I thought she was renting a car." Stefan wrinkled his brow, confused.

"She was, but moneys running low." Lucy forced out a smile. She was happy she truly had somewhere to go, now that she needed to clear her head.

"Well, I hope you feel better." Stefan helped her to her feet. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her snugly to him, hoping it would make her feel better. Lucy pulled away from him, gazing deeply into his emerald eyes.

"You're really a good guy, you know that?"

"You're just now figuring that out," Stefan said playfully, and she laughed.

"I'm carrying so much emotional baggage, Stefan. I just don't know who I am anymore."

"You're, Lucy, and you're a good woman." Stefan took her by the hand.

"No, I'm not." She shook her head. "If I were such a good person, I wouldn't have stood around and watched you kids get drunk and high."

Stefan laughed. "It was a special occasion, and we're young adults. We do and try stupid things sometimes, but we're grounded. We all have our heads on straight. Don't beat yourself up over one drunken and pot smoking filled night." He laughed, again, and Lucy smiled.

"You're right. I'm being too hard on myself. Well, Cassie's waiting on me. I better go. I'll see you later." She gave him a sensual kiss, letting her lips linger for a moment, and then slowly pulled away, her eyes meeting his.

"You feel better?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. Bye, Stefan." She turned and walked away.

Stefan watched her with a curious regard until she was gone from his sight.

o. O. o.

Stefan glimpsed in to Melissa and Tyler's bedroom. He looked over at his tan friend with her perfect round face and smiled. "Hey, Melissa. Where's Tyler?" he asked, entering the room.

"He's outside with Damon and Tupac. They're replacing the bricks from the damage caused by Tupac's landing." Melissa snickered. "Caroline wants everything to be perfect for the wedding." She impishly rolled her eyes.

"Perfect. You know you said you would help me find Bonnie's mother, Abby Wilson."

"Oh yeah."

"So, I spoke with Sheriff Forbes. She's nowhere to be found. I guess she's going by an alias. At least that's what I hope," he said worriedly.

"Do you have anything that belongs to her?"

"Nothing but a strand of Bonnie's hair."

"Ugh, I'm not good with using biological things to find people, but I guess I can try. I did have a good teacher." She smiled.

Stefan smiled back. They stared sweetly at each other for a moment before getting serious.

"Do you have a map?"

"I'm way ahead of you." Stefan snatched a folded up map from out of his back pocket.

"I take it you've seen this done before?"

"You'd be correct." They chuckled.

Melissa walked over to the dresser. She laid the map down on top of it. She then looked over it, and then around the room.

"What are you looking for?"

"I need to draw blood. Do you have a knife?"

"No, but I can give you a little nick," Stefan teased, smiling.

Melissa looked worriedly over his face and his grey button down shirt, remembering how he had attacked Cassie when they first met.

"Oh, you don't trust me," Stefan said, disappointed.

"No, no, it's not that. It's just that…" She paused.

"I'll go get a knife."

"No, Stefan, you don't have to do that. I trust you. Well, I want to. Go ahead." She lifted her trembling hand up to his mouth.

Stefan slowly lengthened his incisors while holding her gaze and then nick Melissa's hand. "Ssss," she squirmed.

He looked down at the blood oozing from her tiny wound. He then looked at Melissa, awaiting her response. It was in this fleeting moment he was glad that Bonnie had trained him to control his blood lust.

She slowly pulled her hand away.

"That wasn't so bad." She smiled, and Stefan smiled back.

Melissa then began to perform the spell. She closed her eyes and chanted. Stefan watched as her blood traveled across the map and then stopped once reaching the image of Florida.

"Great. Florida. We'll never find her."

"Oh, ye, of little faith." Melissa boasted. "I'll write her a note, and then send it to her via magic," she said proudly, and then winked.

"You can do that?" Stefan asked, enthused.

"Yup."

"Ah, you are the best." He happily grunted as he lifted Melissa up into a bear hug. She squealed. He then placed her back down on her feet and took her by the shoulders. They stared at each other for a moment, smiling, and then things got awkward.

"Well, I better go. I have to go shopping for some things to make Bonnie and Damon a romantic dinner tonight."

"Oh, can I help? What's the occasion?"

"Bonnie's pregnant."

"Yay, I'm so happy for them!"

"You really want to help me?" he asked.

"Yes!"

"Okay, let's go," he said, overjoyed.

.o. O .o.

Caroline ran around the bedroom like a chicken with her head cut off. She and Bonnie had picked out two dresses, but had to have them altered.

"Those imbeciles!" Caroline screamed.

"Calm down. There's still plenty of time to have them altered."

"No, Bonnie. You pay someone to do a job, then they should do it right. Ugh, anyway. This is the dinnerware I chose." She handed her the glass saucer.

"Ew, no. I don't like this." Bonnie frowned.

"What do you mean you don't like it? This is Lennox dinnerware. The trim is in gold. Your guest will be eating off of gold plates. Ugh, you don't appreciate anything I do for you." She whined.

"Geez, it's beautiful, Caroline. Puke green and gold are my favorite colors, ugh. Whatever." Bonnie threw her hands in the air.

"See, I knew you'd like it." Caroline smiled and Bonnie laughed at how hilarious she was being.

"Okay, try on the other dress. I'm pretty sure they've screwed it up too." She helped her out of one gown and into the other, and it didn't go unnoticed to Caroline that Bonnie wasn't wearing an engagement ring and that all she was wearing was her betrothal bracelet. She put her focus back on the dress. "This looks like a sack on you!"

"It's okay. I'll probably have to get a bigger dress anyway."

"Why?" she creased her brow.

Bonnie turned to face Caroline. "I'm pregnant." She beamed.

"Jesus Bonnie, now I'll have to push back the date of the wedding. Why did you have sex?"

"Duh, it feels good." Bonnie tittered and Caroline couldn't help but laugh too.

"You're supposed to be happy for me?"

"I am, but next time consult me before you get knocked up." They laughed once more.

"But really, I'm happy for you, and Damon needs a good swift kick in the ass for not buying you a traditional engagement ring."

"He hasn't had time, so much has happened since we've returned."

"Excuses, excuses, and you better make me the god mother of this baby and not that witch Melissa."

"I thought you liked Melissa."

"I do, I just hate her perfect skin and perky ass… bitch." They giggled.

"Oh, I want to show you a sample of the bouquet and the flower arrangements for the table. Stay here. I'll be right back."

"Oh, Caroline. Don't tell Damon about me being pregnant. I'm telling him tonight over a romantic dinner." She gleamed.

"Mm, I'm sure he knows that you're pregnant. Vampire hearing, remember."

"I know, but still. When I got pregnant with Natasha… I wanted an abortion," she said, ashamed.

"Bonnie, no. Why?"

"Because I was scared that when we returned, Damon would go back to Elena and me having a baby with him would make everything all awkward. I didn't want to hurt anyone."

"Well, I'm glad you had that beautiful baby, and don't you dare think about getting rid of this child, no matter how much I can't stand its father."

They howled.

"No way. I'm keeping my baby, and to hell with everyone else."

"Good for you." Caroline gave Bonnie a warm embrace and sweetly caressed her back. They closed their eyes and rocked in each other's arms.

"Mm, it feels so good to have my best friend back. I love you, Bonnie."

"Ditto."

"Oh, I better go get those flower arrangements. Gotta stay on task," she said and then rushed out of the room. On the way to the kitchen to get the sample bouquets, Caroline stopped by the living room to pay Damon a little visit.

He was sitting on the couch, looking through a magazine.

"How could you ruin our wedding day?" she asked, a knee cocked and her arms folded.

Damon looked oddly at Caroline and then around the room before gesturing to himself. "Me?" he asked, confused.

"I can't believe you would let Bonnie walk down that aisle without an engagement ring." She stumped over to him and then slapped the article out of his hand.

Damon hopped up, shocked. "Shit! I forgot the engagement ring."

"She better have a ring before she walks down that aisle, or a wedding won't be the only thing I help Bonnie plan."

"Hey, I promise. I'm just as upset with myself as you. I'll get her a ring first thing in the morning."

"You better." Caroline rolled her eyes at him and then walked away.

Damon shook his head and widened his eyes at their exchange. He grabbed the magazine and then sat back down on the couch. "Geez, planning this wedding has made her fucking psychotic. Whew."

Caroline flashed back to the living room and slapped Damon's book out of his hand, yet again, and then sped off.

"That was real petty, Caroline!" Damon growled.

.o. O. o.

Bonnie and Damon made it home and surprisingly the house was quiet. "Where is everyone?" he asked.

"Mm, I don't know," Bonnie answered as she swanned in front of him with her too tight knee length brown dress that was decorated with brown beads and trimmed in lace.

Damon couldn't take his eyes off of her ass. He fell further and further behind as he walked behind her, grinning.

Bonnie went straight to the kitchen to find lit candles, rose pedals on the table, and Melissa sitting on the stool dressed in an all-white jump suit, waiting to serve them.

"Whoa," Damon said, flabbergasted after entering the kitchen next.

"Do you like it?" Bonnie asked.

"Hell yeah. What's the occasion?" he asked with a knowing grin.

"Oh nothing. I just want to spend some time with you." She smiled slyly at him.

"Would you guys like some wine?"

"Yeah, sure. Where's Natasha, Tyler and Stefan?" Damon asked.

"Stefan and Lucy, took Tupac and Zinnia out for a night on the town? Tyler and Natasha are upstairs. I was elected to keep the wine on ice and the food warm. Stefan's orders." Melissa shrugged, grinning.

"Cool," he answered, pulling out Bonnie's chair. He then took the seat across from her.

Melissa placed their warm plates down in front of them and poured them a glass of wine. "Ok you chumps, the maid service is closed for the night."

"Aww, thank you Melissa. Everything looks nice."

"Yeah, surprisingly… you did well." Damon joked.

"Ha, funny, goodnight lovebirds. Peace." Melissa threw up a peace sign and hurried off.

Bonnie looked at Damon for a tick, smiling. He flashed her a smoldering glance. He was on the edge of his seat. He wanted to run to the nearest roof top and shout. It was happening. His dream of Bonnie being happy about being pregnant with his child was coming true. At least that's what he believed. He squinted his eyes in thought. _Does she know? Well of course she does. Stefan told her and that's when they planned this awesome dinner, duh._

"So, the reason I set this little romantic dinner up, is because I wanted to tell you something."

"I already know. You and Stefan set this entire, erotically beautiful moment up so that you can tell me you can't cook, but it's okay, Bon Bon. I still love you, burnt toast and all. Cheers." He taunted.

"Shut up," Bonnie said in a playful retort.

Damon let out a soft chortle.

"Anyway…I wanted to tell you that…"

"There's bread in the oven." Damon beat around the bush.

Bonnie furrowed her brow. "Stefan made bread?" she jumped out of her chair and tried walking to the oven.

Damon grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her into him to sit on his lap.

Bonnie sat in his lap and wrapped an arm around his neck. "Stefan, didn't make bread. I know that you're…"

Bonnie put her finger over his mouth. There was no way he was going to steal this moment away from her. This was her second chance to make things right, to enjoy her pregnancy.

"I'm pregnant, Damon."

"Whaaaat?" he drawled in a high pitch voice and Bonnie laughed.

"Oh, stop playing. You knew, and you were trying to steal my thunder."

Damon chuckled. "Yeah, but I wasn't trying to steal your thunder. I'm just so damn jubilant that you're happy to be knocked up by me. I mean come on, your B-town."

Bonnie laughed. "Damon, I love you. I want your children. I want you," she said ever so sweetly.

Damon's eyes watered. "I love you, too."

Bonnie rested her head against his, closing her eyes. Damon closed his eyes, too. They remained that way, relishing in their joyous occasion.

"So, what are we having?" he asked.

"I don't know."

"Okay, I'll just take some of the potion and ask Natasha."

"No, you better not. Lucy will have your ass."

"I was joking." He waggled his eyes at her. "So, you want to get laid?" he winked.

"Please, I don't even want to look at your penis. After this baby, you're wrapping up, forever."

"What? No way. I'm your husband. You can't do that," he complained.

"Yeah, sure." Bonnie went back to her side of the table and took a bite of her food. "Mm, what is this? It's delicious."

"If you knew how to cook, you'd know that this is duck a l'orange."

"Duck holler who?" Bonnie replied and Damon burst at the seams with hilarity.

"I don't care what it is. It's good, and that's all I need to know."

Damon continued his raucous before getting lost in Bonnie, for a second time. _My life just keeps getting better and better._

.o. O. o.

Bonnie and Damon woke up that morning to a little surprise. Natasha slept in the bed with them. She woke up first. She then woke up her daddy with droplets of her dribble as she repeatedly whacked on his chest with the palm of her hand. Damon whined and groaned.

"Natasha, no baby."

Bonnie then awoke to see them playing. Natasha inched her way right to the edge of the bed.

"Uh oh," Damon grabbed her and then placed her down on the floor, giving her free range to roam. He sat up on the side of the bed, and Bonnie crawled over to him, resting her head on his shoulder. They watched Natasha slink around on the floor.

She slowly made her way to the dresser. She then used it to help her get to her feet.

"Oh my god." Bonnie gasps.

"Don't scream. It'll scare her." Damon said, practically on the edge of his seat with anxiousness.

"Get my phone. Get my phone," Bonnie said enthusiastically.

Damon grabbed the phone and start filming Natasha. Amazingly, she turned around and then took her first step, and then another. Bonnie screamed to the heavens, startling her.

Natasha plopped down on the floor and start crying. Bonnie and Damon exploded with happiness.

….

Shing mopped around the house all day. He was ready to leave the wretched place he found himself in because of his greed. After a long painstaking debate with himself, he decided to defect to Bonnie. After what Luna had shared with him, he now knew that he didn't have enough power to return home on his own. He was now at Bonnie's mercy.

"Hayden," Shing called to him as he stood in the doorway of his room, leaning beneath the doorframe.

Hayden laid in his bed, a dejected look in his eyes. He waited several seconds before answering. "What do you want?"

"I'm leaving this place. I'm freeing you."

Hayden widened his eyes and snatched himself away from the bed. "What?"

"I'm releasing you from my spell, but I asked that you not tell Luna. If you do, it's you whom will pay the consequences. I doubt this new foe that she plans to make an alliance with will be as merciful as me."

"You? Merciful? Aren't you the same person that sat around in my living room bragging about all your kills, your wealth, and your power?"

Shing lowered his head shamefully. "Yes, you're right, but being here on this planet, has been a humbling experience for me. I long to go back to the way things were. I long to go home."

"Keeping people under your cruel regime, you long for that?" Hayden questioned dubiously.

"What I do with my kingdom is none of your concern. All you should be concerned with is that you're free, and alive. Now, if you will be so kind as to take me to one, Bonnie Bennett's home. I'd like to leave while Luna is still asleep."

Hayden didn't care where Shing went or even if he died, but hearing the name Bennett peaked his interest. He had heard that name many times over, but it had just now registered with him that she could be of some relation to Lucy. She was a Bennett witch after all. He threw his legs off the side of the bed.

"Does Luna still have plans to go after, Bonnie?"

"Yes, but I don't think she'll succeed. Especially now that I'm leaving." Shing answered.

.o. O .o.

"Natasha took her first steps this morning," Bonnie revealed happily to everyone.

"Oh, no! I missed it." Zinnia sulked.

"Don't worry. She'll do it again. I'm sure."

"Hmm, I wonder who that is," Stefan said after hearing the doorbell ring. "I'll get it," he said, leaving Zinnia, Tupac, Melissa, Tyler, and Bonnie and Damon to gawk over Natasha.

Stefan opened the door, seeing Shing and Hayden on his steps. His eyes bulged out of his head. He quaked in his boots, but he wasn't going down without a fight. He vamped up.

"DAMON!" he let out a terrifying yelp, and everyone went running. Shing held up his hand, hitting the vampires with a concentrative wave of power which caused them to crash to the floor in agony. In his free hand, he erratically waved a white hanky.

Bonnie threw out a hand and hit him with everything she had, ignoring his plea to submit. Shing dropped to the ground in excruciating pain, gripping his temple. Lucy's eyes immediately met Hayden's.

"Wait! Wait! He wants to surrender!" Hayden shouted, wildly waving his hands about and unable to step inside the house.

Bonnie lowered her hand, releasing Shing from her power. "You're lying," she said.

"Bonnie don't trust this fuck, kill him." Damon got up from off the floor, his eyes red, and his incisors protracted.

"It's true, Bonnie! I surrender. I just want to return home, please. I swear by all the gods. I mean you no harm."

"Let's hear what he has to say." Tupac intervened.

"Bonnie, we can't seriously be considering, listening to this asshole."

"Damon, trust me." She turned to him, a serious look in her eyes. He stared at her for a second, and then nodded.

"But he has to wait outside," he replied, miffed.

"Of course." With a wave of Bonnie's hand the door slammed shut, breaking Lucy's and Hayden's trance.

They all marched in to the living room, all eyes were now on Bonnie and Tupac.

"Okay, Tupac, what do you think?"

"Look, I don't know if he's being truthful or not, but surely there must be a way you and all these powerful people standing before me, can incapacitate him some way. It'll give me and my people the advantage. We may even be able to reach an agreement with him that could help the people of Gardenia."

Bonnie looked at Damon, who was already looking at her. He nodded, agreeing with the idea.

"Okay, if it will help you and your people, I'll do it. You come up with a treaty. We'll make him sign it, and we'll take his powers, or I can make a promise to free his powers once he truly changes."

"No, Bonnie. Take his powers, for good," Lucy urged.

"Yeah, Bonnie," Tyler added.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Bonnie," Stefan said and then looked at Melissa.

"Look, I know it sounds stupid, but I know what it's like to be without magic. I was broken, and shattered people do crazy things. This could set him off, and I can't see how that would be a good thing for the people of Gardenia." She paused.

"My grandmother didn't raise me to be unmerciful. I want to help you, but it has to be on my terms. I promise… he won't be able to hurt you or your people after I'm done with him," Bonnie reassured them.

"I'm team Bonnie on this one." Damon smiled at her, and she smiled proudly back at him and then blew him a kiss. He caught it.

Tupac and Zinnia quickly went to work to create a treaty. Lucy paced the floor, thinking about the fact that Hayden was standing on the other side of the door. She thought for sure her feelings for him had weakened, but hearing his voice and now seeing him in the flesh had awakened something inside her. She didn't like it one bit.

She blasted herself for ever flirting with him on the busy streets of New York, but his remarkable resemblance to Chris Evans made her heart skip a beat.

"Okay, Bonnie, we're ready." Zinnia said.

They stepped outside. All except for Tyler, Melissa, and Natasha. Tupac read over the treaty. Bonnie informed Shing of her plans to take his power, and she revealed to him that he could regain them once his powers sensed that he was worthy. Shing glared. He was not pleased with this agreement. He was so outraged by their demands that he decided to withhold information about Luna and her possible mystery ally.

Bonnie stepped closer to Shing, staring up at the seven foot man with his piercing eyes, strong cheek bones and defined bottom lip. He had the perfect muscular body. She was surprised at how handsome her adversary was, but not handsome enough for her to put six feet under if she had to.

Shing looked down on her five foot frame. He was slightly intimidated. He couldn't believe someone so tiny had bested him twice.

"I need your hands, Shing," she said, a stern look on her face.

He hesitated but gave in. Damon was no more than an arm's length away, readying himself for whatever.

Shing placed his hands into Bonnie's, swallowing her delicate little limbs. She swallowed deeply. She was a little overwhelmed by his size.

"You are a wizard, why would you want to do this to your own kind?"

"You wanted to kill her," Damon said coldly.

"I would rather be dead than lose my powers," Shing bellowed.

"Is that what you want? You want me to kill you?" Bonnie asked.

He thought for a minute, wondering if that's what he really wanted. He then remembered how good his life was back home, and Bonnie's promise about his powers returning to him if and when he was noble.

"Are you sure that I can regain my powers again someday?"

"If you prove you can be a good person. Can you be a good person, Shing?"

"On with it girl," he barked, and Bonnie smirked.

She closed her eyes and began chanting. Shing could feel his power dwindling inside of him. Within minutes, it was done. Bonnie freed him. He looked down at his hands, fisting them.

"Send me home," he said through clenched teeth.

"Gladly." She answered.

He first signed the treaty. He signed it with such force, that he ripped it. Bonnie then opened the portal for him and he rushed right on through. Everyone stared up at the gateway until if fully closed. Zinnia and Tupac squealed and happily held on to each other.

Hayden looked at Lucy, and then got straight down to business. "Lucy, may I have a word with you?" he inquired.

"Lucy, you know this guy?" Stefan asked with a furrowed brow.

She nodded and then cut her eyes guiltily down at the ground. "I'll be back, please give us some privacy." She looked imploring at Stefan. He looked at her for a moment and then agreed.

Lucy walked away with Hayden. Damon turned on his vampire hearing, looking at them suspiciously.

"Lucy, I never stopped loving you. I was a fool."

"What was Shing planning? Did he have accomplices?" Lucy grilled, ignoring his declaration.

Hayden hung his head disappointedly. "He came with a woman. She remained behind. I'm kicking her ass out of my home tonight."

"Why didn't she return with him?"

"I don't remember all the details, but she wants Bonnie dead and her baby's magic. I wouldn't worry about her though. She doesn't have any powers. Well, she can see things, but now that Shing is gone, she's alone. Oh, wait, he did say that she might know of someone, but she can't drive or get around. I've been doing everything for her."

"Yeah, that's right. You said you were under a spell. Are you okay? Did they hurt you? Did he release you from his spell?"

"Yeah." He smiled. "I didn't think you cared about my wellbeing."

"Don't flatter yourself. I was just being polite. Thank you for the information, but we're done here."

"I respect your decision, but I'm not leaving Mystic Falls, so you'll be seeing me around."

"Go fuck yourself," Lucy huffed and then shouldered passed him. She couldn't resist. She had to have one touch of him, no matter how minimal and aggressive it was.

Hayden watched her for a minute and then left. This didn't go unnoticed by Stefan or Damon.

.o. O .o.

A month later, the inevitable happened. Bonnie and Damon awoke to a seven year old little girl. She walked in to the room, her cloth diaper ripped at the seams, and her night gown as tight as a glove around her torso.

"Momma. Momma," she called as she stood over her mother, a sad look on her face. Bonnie slowly opened her eyes, and then quickly widened them at the sight of the little girl that she had seen in the fantasy world. She immediately start crying, grabbed Natasha, and clutched her securely to her.

"It's okay momma."

Bonnie's loud sobbing awoke Damon. He opened his eyes and smirked at the sight of his little girl.

"Natasha," he whispered with a smile.

….

Everyone sat around the kitchen, awestruck over the seven year old girl greedily stuffing her mouth with pancakes and sausage. Bonnie stood over in the corner, still crying as she pressed her hand against her small baby bump.

Damon could hardly focus on Natasha because of Bonnie.

"Hey, don't cry," he said.

"I'm not sad really. I just wish I had more time."

"We're having another one."

"I know, but she's still my baby."

"Yeah, you're right. Do you want to cancel your appointment and stay at home with Natasha?" he suggested.

"No, I better go," Bonnie said, still lightly sobbing.

Damon let out a soft chortle.

"Natasha, you want some more pancakes?" Stefan asked.

"Yes, please," she answered with a mouth full.

"Aww," Zinnia beamed as she threaded her fingers through Natasha's long, wavy chestnut hair.

…..

Melissa and Lucy went to the store. Stefan was with Sheriff Forbes, and Bonnie and Damon were at her prenatal appointment, so Tyler had the house all to himself.

He sat on the couch with Natasha, watching Teen Titians.

The doorbell rang. Tyler looked at Natasha and then towards the direction of the entrance.

"I wonder who that could be." He smiled at her and then answered the door.

"Elena, hey!" Tyler welcomed happily and then gave her a hug. "Come in."

"Thanks. It has been a_ long_ day. I had to get out of that house."

They walked swiftly to the living room. Elena looked oddly at the little girl who favored Damon and somewhat Bonnie.

"Why hello. Is this… is this, Natasha?" Elena asked, amazed.

"Yup, she had another growth spurt, and it was a big one."

"Hi, Natasha, I'm Elena." She walked over to her and held out her hand.

"Hi, Elena." She grinned.

"So, tell me about your day. What happened?" Tyler quickly put his focus back on Elena.

"They found Luke dead this morning. Ric and Stefan have been with Liz all day, assisting her in catching the person who did this," Elena said somberly.

"What? Luke's dead? When? How?"

"I don't' know the specifics, but I'm sure Ric will catch me up on everything when he gets home. Ric just lost Jo, and now this. I feel so horrible for that family and him."

"Yeah, I can't believe this."

Natasha sat on the floor, resting her elbows against the coffee table and watched them attentively while they talked. She found grownups conversation intriguing.

"Oh, Tyler, you lost Liv, too."

"Well, we weren't together, but I hate what happened to her," he said wretchedly.

"Well, I'm here for you if you need a friend." Elena placed her hand over his and squeezed it. Tyler looked down at her hand and gently caressed it before his eyes met hers. They smiled affectionately at each other. They were unable to break their little moment.

"My daddy hates your guts, Elena." Natasha wanted to be a part of the conversation, but she didn't know where or how to even go about it.

"Well, okay then. Tyler, do you have a Twix for Natasha." Elena looked at him, bug-eyed and he sniggered.

"Natasha that was a very mean thing to say."

"But it's true."

"Even so, you shouldn't tell a person that someone hates them. It hurts their feelings."

"Ah, fuck," Natasha said.

"Natasha. Where did you learn that? That's a bad word," Tyler said incredulously and Elena giggled underneath her breath.

"Daddy says it."

"You were just a baby. How could you understand a word of what anyone said? You know what, never mind." Tyler shook his head, bemused. "Natasha, Elena and I are going to the kitchen for a beer. Stay here and watch cartoons, okay?"

"Okay."

"Good girl."

Tyler and Elena went to the kitchen for a beer and to continue their conversation. Natasha watched sadly as they walked away. She really wanted to be a part of their discussion.

Natasha sat on the couch, dazing out the window. Outside looked so inviting to her. The sun was shining. Birds were outside the patio doors and squirrels were running around the yard.

She gravitated to the doors and then slowly opened them to go outside. She stepped out onto the patio, looked around the yard, and then hopped down the steps to the lawn. She ran out to the pond. She threw rocks and picked flowers for her mother. She was enjoying everything that nature had to offer. She became enthralled with the squirrels and the smaller bird chasing the bigger bird in the sky.

She became lost in her surroundings and inadvertently wandered off into the nearby woods.

"Hello, little girl," an ominous voice called to Natasha.

She slowly turned around. She begin to feel frightened. She started backing away from the creepy boyish looking man.

"My mommy and daddy are home."

"No… they are not." He smiled sadistically at her.

Natasha looked at him for a moment and then panicked. She turned around slowly and begin running.

"Hey, I better go check on Natasha. Something doesn't feel right." Tyler's senses were calling to him hotly. They called to him so, that it begin to hurt him physically.

He sped to the living room. "Natasha!" He was petrified.

"I'll go check upstairs," Elena offered.

"MOMMA!" Natasha screeched so loudly that it unnerved Kai.

She then felt her feet leave the earth before her body was being speedily dragged across the forest floor. She wildly grabbed at that grass, branches, and dirt, trying to stop herself. Her body then popped straight up off the ground, stiff as board. Kai took her by the arms, squeezing her so forcefully that her skin felt like it was on fire. He then started consuming her magic.

Natasha screamed and cried.

"It hurts! It hurts!" She was scared. Her short lived life began to pass before her very eyes. She wished with all her heart that she had stayed home and that her mother and father would come and save her.

"Mommy! Daddy!"

"Mommy! Daddy!" Kai screamed and laughed at her.

Natasha didn't know what to do. All she knew is that she wanted this man to go away. Her powers finally took over, obeying her imploring request. Her magic rushed out of her body, causing the wind to whirl around her with the speed of sound. It tossed Kai yards away and into a tree. His blood then began to heat, setting him on fire from the inside.

He screamed and tried crawling away from her. He's skin began to blister. He started bleeding out from his eyes, ears, and nose.

Natasha's entire body tremored as tears poured from her red eyes, down her veined cheeks, and her fangs were now fully extended. She couldn't stop herself. She had come undone. Kai chanted, using his dark magic to heal himself, but his efforts were in vain.

"Pleeease!" He let out a deafening scream and then finally deported himself away from that terrible place.

It took Natasha several minutes to realize that the bad guy was gone. She dazedly walked to a tree, sat down, and tucked herself into a little ball. Her young mind couldn't even fathom what had just happened to her. She wanted to erase the image of Kai's blistered and bloody skin away from her mind, but she couldn't.

"Momma. Momma please come for me," she cried, paralyzed with fear.


	27. Chapter 27: Relationship Goals

**A/N:** There's not much action in this chapter, but I love the interaction between the characters and their build up. Don't worry, doom, gloom, and ass kicking time is coming… LOL!

I hope you enjoy this chapter! Leave a prompt on what you like, don't like, your favorite phrase, or scene. I love to read those. It fuels my fire and my inspiration to write.

**OBLIVION Chapter 27: Relationship Goals**

"I better go check on Natasha. Something doesn't feel right." Tyler's senses were calling to him hotly. They called to him so, that it begin to hurt him physically.

He sped to the living room. "Natasha!" He was petrified.

"I'll go check upstairs," Elena offered. She ran upstairs, from room to room, not finding her.

Downstairs, Tyler was beginning to panic. The last thing he wanted was for Damon and Bonnie to rip him apart because he lost their daughter.

"Momma, Daddy," Natasha continued to cry as she shivered against a tree, clutching her body strongly.

Tyler ran out onto the patio, looking around the backyard. He high tailed it off the steps and ran to the woods.

_Natasha, where are you sweetie? _He ran through the thicket, slapping small branches out of his way. He finally spotted her. He sighed deeply, relieved as his lips furled into a tiny smile.

"Natasha, what are you doing out here alone?" he said in a scolding voice as he jogged up to her.

She jumped to her feet and ran to him, wrapping her arms snugly around his waist as she tightly closed her eyes, squeezing out her unshed tears.

"Hey, hey, it's okay." Tyler frowned, kneeling down in front of Natasha before taking her by the shoulders. "What's wrong?"

She looked at him, her eyes all puffy and red, sniffling. She couldn't tell Tyler that she had almost killed someone or that a bad man was lurking around in the woods because she'd get in trouble for having gone outside without asking for permission.

"Natasha, I know somethings wrong. You look like you've seen a ghost. Talk to me. Tell me what happened." Tyler demanded.

"Nothing. I got lost. I was scared. I didn't think you'd find me."

"Well, of course I'd find you. You're my little buddy. You're my god daughter. I love you, Natasha," Tyler said sweetly and then gave her a warm hug.

Natasha looked frighteningly out into the woods as Tyler held her in his sweet and protective embrace. She was scared out of her mind, but she couldn't let anyone know this, it was her cross to bear, so she believed.

"I want to go home," she croaked out.

Tyler picked her up, resting her on his hip and then walked slowly back to the house.

"Oh, thank god! You found her!" Elena shouted elatedly. She jogged down the steps to them and then caressed Natasha's back. "Where did you run off to, Natasha? You know you're not supposed to wander off by yourself."

"She was just having a little adventure. She's learned her lesson. Right, Natasha?"

"Yes," she murmured. Natasha did learn her lesson that day. She learned to never venture outside alone, ever again.

.o .O. o.

Bonnie sat in the passenger side of the car, filled with a mixture of emotions. She was overjoyed to be having another baby. She was hoping this time she'd could give Damon a son, but she was also feeling under the weather because Natasha was no longer that tiny baby that she could swoop up and cuddle in her arms.

Damon looked over at Bonnie, knowing what she was feeling. He couldn't stand to see her sad. He turned on his Salvatore charm. He knew he could lift the darkness from her world when no one else could.

"Let's go on a date. Natasha, is safe and sound with Tyler. Shing, tucked tail and ran, so let's celebrate." He gave her a smoldering glance.

Bonnie looked over at him, her interest piqued. She slightly nodded, her disposition was now a little more brighter then seconds ago. "When was the last time we had a moment alone? I forgot what that feels like." She laughed.

"Uhhhh," Damon stammered for an answer. They both laughed. "What do you say?"

"I want to go riding, and maybe have a picnic by the waterfall." She giddily suggested.

"I love the way you think, baby." He winked at her, and she leaned over to him and kissed him on the cheek.

Damon pulled over and dropped the top to his car. They put on their sunglasses and sped off down the road.

They stopped and picked up a bucket of fried chicken and an apple pie for their little picnic by the ravine which took them about an hour to reach.

Damon laid out the blanket and they sat beside the lake, soaking up the sun rays in silence part of the time as their hair fluttered in the light breeze.

They were captivated by the seeds of dandelions floating in the air and the tall blades of grass waving in the wind. The scenery before them instantly made them reminisce about their little trips down to the creek back in Gardenia. Simultaneously they thought about when they washed their clothes together, fished, and their first time making love.

Instinctively they looked over at each other and smiled, not realizing that the other was reliving that very same moment of when they first made love.

Bonnie tingled and tightened her legs, remembering how Damon moved inside of her. He sighed lowly as he vividly saw himself kissing her all over her bosom.

"Now that we're having another child, do you think we should move out of the boarding house?" Bonnie asked.

"You want to move out of the boarding house?" Damon sped her a wounded look.

"No, I love the boarding house, but it's getting a little crowded. I like it being just us. Is that wrong?" she asked as if she were ashamed for thinking such a thing.

Damon smiled, stretched his hand over to hers, and clutched it securely. "I like it being just us, too."

Bonnie returned his enchanted affections.

"Speaking of our ever evolving lives and future. I know you wanted to go to college and get your degree, but the whole you dying thing and having children has kind of put that on hold. I want you to know, that if you still want to continue your education, I'd be delighted to be the stay at home dad so that you can go back to school."

Bonnie's jaw dropped. She had been wondering how she was going to juggle being a mom and going to school, too, and here Damon was, reading her mind. Next to taking care of and loving her family, school was very important to Bonnie.

"I do want to go back to college. You're sure you won't mind being at home for most of the day with the children?"

"No, Bonnie! They're my children, and I'm sure uncle Stefan will help out," he replied as if her response was ridiculous.

Bonnie laughed at how outlandish she was being. She then grabbed a piece of chicken from the box, biting in to it as she looked back out at the lake.

Damon marveled over how beautiful she was before putting his attention on his phone which was ringing in his pocket, it was Stefan. "I better get this."

Bonnie half way listened in on Damon's seemingly serious conversation as she continued to gaze out at the softly rippling water. He hung up the phone and sighed deeply, a worried look on his face.

"What's wrong?"

"They found Luke, murdered in his apartment."

"Oh, my god." Her shoulders dropped. "Let me guess, they don't know who killed him or why?"

"You got it."

"Who could've done this?" she inquired.

"You don't think that it was their lunatic brother from the prison world, do you?" he suggested.

"There's no way he could've done this. There's no way he could've escaped without Lucy and the others not knowing." Bonnie was sure of her answer.

"Yeah, I guess you're right, but whatever it is, as long as it doesn't concern us, we shouldn't be bothered."

"Well, of course we should be bothered by this, Damon. Mystic Falls is our home. Luke, Liv, and Jo, were a part of a witch coven. This could very well be me and my family that this is happening to. How do we know that this won't happen to the Bennett's?" Bonnie expressed worriedly.

Damon looked seriously at her. He really wanted to believe that no such thing like what happened to the Parker's could happen to Bonnie and her family, even though the odds of her family being brutally murdered were a very real possibility.

The Bennett's were linked to some of the biggest spells every conjured up, practically since the beginning of time. Damon didn't want to think of such a tragedy befalling Bonnie's family, especially since they had just nearly escaped the clutches of an evil master mind already.

Damon pushed the horrifying thoughts to the four corners of his mind and turned on the charm, once again. He rolled over to face Bonnie, pressing his hand against her warm cheek as his silvery, blue eyes burrowed into her frightened green ones.

"You're right. What happens in this town does concern us, but I'm positive, in fact, I'm willing to bet my life that what happened to the Parker's has nothing to do with us, so don't worry, Bon Bon."

She sent him her crooked smile and pressed her hand against his.

"Okay, I won't worry, and I'm sure what happened to them has nothing to do with us either."

Damon gave her a chaste kiss. He then lay flat on his back, pulling Bonnie gently down to the blanket with him.

"I love you, Damon."

I love you, too, Bon Bon. You're my girl." He smiled. He then looked at her for the longest time with a desirous and protective look in his eyes.

He pressed his lips to hers, yet again, brushing her plump lip with the tip of his tongue. Bonnie opened her mouth wider, deepening their kiss.

Their kiss was intense and passionate as their tongues swirled around each other's in perfect harmony. All of their problems seem to melt away as they focused on nothing but their enthralled and fervent act.

There was no greater feeling in the world to Damon then feeling Bonnie's warm mouth and tongue brushing up against his. He could do this with her for all eternity, but hearing her fight for air brought him back to reality.

Damon pulled away from their loving lip lock. He propped his head up on his arm, gazing up at the sky. His smile disappeared. All his sure words gave Bonnie confidence- only. He now felt that same worry and panic that she had felt not moments ago.

Bonnie always did that to him. She always made him think about consequences and the what if's of things, but this time he hated thinking this way. He was ready to live a life of domestic bliss and not worry about supernatural bullshit, but like always, it always wound up finding him and the people he loved.

Bonnie nuzzled closer to him, caressing his chest with her hand, and massaging his upper thigh with hers, smiling all the while as she saw the brighter side of things. Damon always did that to her, and now that she was pregnant, she needed that peace of mind more than anything.

.o .O. o.

Hayden made it back to his place. He was feeling pretty good now that he had seen Lucy, now that he was free from Shing's spell, and now that the giant of a man had left his home. He was so happy that he had forgotten all about Luna still being there. He walked into his home all chipper until he saw the woman sitting on his couch, fuming. He halted quickly in his happy steps and rolled his eyes once spotting her.

"Where the fuck is, Shing?" She all but screamed at him.

"What? You didn't see that coming?" he mocked.

"HE WENT HOME!"

Hayden recoiled due to her earsplitting screech.

"Yes, he went home, and you should do the same. Now grab your things. You're no longer welcome in my house," he said coldly.

Luna's jaw dropped. She looked like she was about to cry, which surprised Hayden. He didn't think she was capable of crying or feeling anything but anger, greed, and bitterness, but he was determined not to let her quivering lips and glazed over eyes weaken him.

"Oh, that's right, nothing here belongs to you." He stormed over to her. He grabbed her by the arm, marched her to the front door, and then tossed her out without so much as a goodbye.

Luna stumbled but quickly regained her balance. She looked at the door, frozen with fear. Her survival instincts soon kicked in. She always had her wits about herself, even when she knew the odds were stacked against her.

She banged on the door, screaming, "Hayden! Hayden! Please don't leave me like this!"

He rolled his eyes as he tried making his way up the stairs. The one thing that Hayden wished he could change about himself, was his gullible ways and overly compassionate nature. He loved people. He couldn't hurt a fly, and this was the very reason he hated being a vampire so much.

He pushed his face into his hands and let out a fake sob before laughing at how absurd he was being. He marched back down to the door and opened it.

"What do you want?" he shouted, infuriated.

"You can't just throw me out on the street with no money or nowhere to go."

"You took over my life and made me a slave! I consider us even."

Luna looked at him for a minute and then burst into tears.

"No, no, don't cry. Stop with the crying," he whined.

"I'm all alone," she plopped down on the steps.

He watched her cry, feeling a little broken hearted about her situation. He then remembered what had happened in the last 24 hours and all the things that were said by Shing, Lucy, and Luna. She had seen another person that would or could help her destroy the Bennett's. He smiled once realizing that helping Luna could possibly get him back into Lucy's good graces, but more importantly, it could help protect them.

He sighed loudly. "Luna," he sighed, again, "I'll take you wherever you need to go, and then we go our separate ways, okay?"

She turned off her crocodile tears immediately and perked up. "Thank you," she rushed out after hurriedly getting to her feet and flashing Hayden a forced smile.

Hayden had been driving Luna around town for over two hours. He was growing tired and frustrated with hauling the woman around, but it was all for Lucy. He'd do anything to win her back. She was the love of his life. He couldn't move on after breaking up with her.

In over four centuries, he hadn't loved a woman the way that he loved Lucy Bennett.

"We've been driving around for over two hours, and you don't want to go to a hotel, a women, or a homeless shelter, so where is it that you want to go?" he inquired heatedly.

"I need more time! My visions are leading me somewhere," she snapped back.

Hayden frowned at her, growing curious about what Luna was seeing.

"What do you see?" he asked with concern, surprising her.

She looked over at him, guarded by his calm demeanor.

"There's a man. I know he will help me. He wants the same…" she stopped, realizing she was giving a man who was still a mere stranger to her, even though they had shared living quarters for a few weeks, and she had seen his future. "It's none of your concern. Just drive."

"Look, lady, I'm doing you a favor, and besides, who would I tell?"

"I've seen your future. We have a lot in common you and I." she smiled smugly.

Hayden shifted nervously in his seat, wondering what the hell Luna had seen, regarding his future.

"What…what…what did you see? Do I die?" he asked hesitantly, a look of panic and fear in his eyes.

"Wouldn't you like to know," she toyed.

"Hell yeah, I'd like to know. You sneaky, cunning little bi…"

"Un, un, un." She waved her finger at him in warning.

Hayden put his eyes back on the road, and Luna looked out the car window. Her visions of Kai were starting to get stronger. His magic had weakened because of his severe internal injuries and it allowed Luna to now see him more clearly.

Kai was near death, but his magic's slow restorative progress kept him clinging to life. Natasha really did a number on him. Without vampire blood, the healing process took longer than he needed it to.

"I know where you must take me!" Luna yelped excitedly.

"About damn time," Hayden fussed.

She rattled off what she saw. He knew this area pretty well.

They soon arrived at their destination, an old run down house that was not pleasing to one's eye.

"Disgusting." Luna turned up her nose, and Hayden laughed.

"Welcome to your new home," he teased, cocking his head to the side and smiled.

She rolled her eyes at him and then hopped out of the car. Hayden remained in the vehicle, watching and waiting to see what would happen.

"Well, aren't you coming? You can't let a lady enter an unknown place, alone," she nagged.

"God damn it." He hopped angrily out of the car and rushed to her side.

They walked up to the old, white, wooden run down house with its peeling paint, over grown shrubbery, dangling shutters, and decrepit steps. Luna knocked on the door. She had seen that Kai was out, but she somehow hoped that he would be strong enough to answer once she called upon him.

After ten minutes of standing there, knocking, Hayden decided to take matters into his own hands.

"Excuse me." He eased Luna to the side and then kicked in the door.

Luna winced from the sound of the door loudly coming off its hinges. Hayden waved his hand over the threshold. He was surprised that he wasn't spelled from going inside. He stepped into the house and looked cautiously around. He was amazed to see that the inside of the home looked nothing like the outside.

The house was decorated with contemporary furniture and the most modern technology, flat screen TV's, surround sound, Xbox, and computers.

"He did this with magic," Luna whispered and then evilly grinned. "Come, let's find him, and see if he needs our help." She ran up the stairs.

"Great," Hayden huffed and then hurried after her.

"By all the gods." Luna gasps as she hurried to a bloody and badly injured Kai.

She looked over his slightly blistered and dirty face, almost coming to tears when she realized that her last chance at gaining power was on its death bed.

"Hayden, you have to give him blood!" she yelled imploringly.

"Like hell I do." He looked down at a badly injured Kai and keyed in on the faint beating of his heart. He was thrilled. Knowing that Lucy's possible foe was clinging to life, and could die at any moment, greatly pleased him. He was anxious to share the great news with Lucy.

"Please, help me, you bastard!"

"Enjoy living here in your comfy place with your dead boyfriend," Hayden said callously, slammed the door to the bedroom, and quickly left the house.

.o .O. o.

Stefan sat at the dinner table, eating some of the verdant fruit while he watched Zinnia and Tupac eat the burgers that he had bought them.

Zinnia had been on him about eating the fruit. She feared that it would ruin in their freezer. She was right. Most of the fruit had ruined because of the frigid temperature of the ice box. He managed to save a few dozen pieces of the magical fertility fruit. He took one bite of the verdant and couldn't stop eating it. He now feared that he'd get Lucy pregnant. He didn't mine it so much if she had his child, but something told him that she wasn't ready for a baby.

He then felt extremely sad because this meant he couldn't have unprotected sex with her anymore. He then suddenly remembered that Lucy was on the pill. He perked up once more and then ate more of the fruit.

"Oh, Zinnia…mmm, this is so good. We have to take some of this ground up cow back home to Gardenia."

"Mm, mm, oh god, I'm way ahead of you," Zinnia answered with a mouth full, and Stefan burst into a fit of laughter.

Back in the living room, Tyler, Elena, and now Melissa were all trying to get Natasha to perk up, but she just lay on the couch, sulking.

Melissa pulled Tyler to the side and he invited Elena to tag along despite Melissa's displeased expression.

"What happened today? Why is Natasha so sad and lifeless?" Melissa asked.

"I don't know. She wandered off into the woods by herself. When I found her, she was sitting up against a tree, looking like she had seen a ghost." He explained as he gestured to Natasha.

"What did you do to her, Elena?" Melissa asked in an accusatory tone.

"I didn't do anything to her. Why are you blaming me?" Elena asked, astounded.

"Why are you over here, Elena? Don't you have to go to work?" Melissa was growing jealous of Elena's and Tyler's closeness. Since she had been home, Tyler seem to have only conversation for Elena.

"Melissa, come on babe. Aren't you overacting?"

"Excuse me. I'll go check on Natasha." Elena excused herself.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Tyler smiled and then kissed Melissa on the lips as he wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her into him.

Melissa poked out her bottom lip and folded her arms. She was determined not to give in to Tyler for his none existent bad behavior.

"I just don't like that you're spending all of your time with her. Lucy, told me about her, you know."

"About Elena?" Tyler asked in an unbelieving tone.

"Yeah, about her. She's a home wrecker."

Tyler laughed, "You're worried for nothing. You're my girl, okay? Stop being jealous. I can't stand a jealous woman."

"Ugh!" Melissa loudly grunted, pushed him off of her, and then rushed back off to Natasha.

"What? What did I say?" Tyler rushed out. Elena shook her head at his clueless behavior.

"We're home!" Damon yelled out.

Natasha jumped up off the couch and went running to her mother's arms. The moment she crashed into Bonnie, she began to cry.

"Natasha, what's wrong?" Bonnie questioned with an extremely worried look on her face.

Damon hurriedly swooped her up into his arms and cradled Natasha to him.

"What the fuck did you all do to my daughter?" Damon barked as he marched into the living room with Natasha in his arms, clinging tightly to his shoulder as she shed soft tears.

"We didn't do anything to her, Damon! You know I wouldn't hurt her. She went outside to play, and she came back all sad." Tyler spat.

"What did you do to my daughter, you bitch?" He glanced over at Elena.

"Me! I didn't do shit to your daughter, but you sure have taught her well, making her think that I'm the enemy!"

"You need to calm down, Damon. No one did anything to Natasha!" Tyler yelled.

There war of words alerted Stefan and the others. They ran into the living room, Tupac with his burger in hand, and Zinnia with a mouth full of fries.

"What's going on in here?" Stefan inquired, his eyes wide.

"Daddy, please. I'm okay. I just missed you and mommy."

Bonnie ran her fingers caringly over her back before turning her daughter's gaze to hers, "Natasha, are you sure? Are you sure nothing happened?"

"This is ridiculous!" Tyler huffed.

Natasha nodded, "Nothing happened, momma. I just missed you. Why did you have to stay gone for so long? I'm hungry. I couldn't eat because I was so worried about you and daddy," she whined.

"We're home now, Natasha. It's okay. Come on, let's get you something to eat."

Damon put Natasha down. She and Bonnie went to the kitchen.

Damon glared at the others as they stood around the room with their guilty and angry eyes, staring back at him or down at the floor, ashamed.

"Is that burger good, Tupac?"

"Huh? Uh, yeah, it's okay," he said, his mouth jam-packed. He then swallowed his the food as he looked guiltily at Damon. He rubbed the lump in his throat as it hurt to swallow the half eaten bite.

"Some damn babysitter you turned out to be, Tyler."

"He's a good babysitter, Damon," Melissa said sternly.

"He really is," Elena added. Damon rolled his eyes at her.

"Stefan, don't think your ass gets a pass because you were gone all day. She's your niece. You should have called and asked if she wanted a burger, too, fucking asshole," Damon hissed and then marched off.

"I'm sorry, Damon. I wasn't thinking. I'm not used to…"

"Shut the fuck up!" Damon yelled with his back to Stefan and then disappeared.

Everyone looked around at each other and then laughed.

"Tyler, I think I've had more than enough excitement for one night. I better get home and check on Jeremy and Alaric," said Elena as she grabbed her things.

"Okay, I'll walk you outside," he replied and then prepared himself to follow her.

"Bye, Melissa, Zinnia, Tupac, and Stefan. Have a good night."

"You too, Elena," Stefan answered sweetly.

He and Elena looked at each other longer than planned. Stefan had to admit that he was glad that Elena was human again. She hadn't been human for not even a full two months and he could already see the major difference.

Elena couldn't resist. She had to run back over to Stefan and give him a hug. She wrapped her arms around him and held him for a minute. Tyler slightly frowned, and Melissa noticed.

"Goodnight," Elena said before kissing his cheek.

"Yup, goodnight to you, too." Stefan replied uneasily.

He lowered his eyes to the floor, attempting not to send Elena any mixed messages.

Tyler and Elena headed toward the entrance. Melissa smiled over at Stefan and then hurried over to him.

"You sly dog," she teased and playfully punched him on the shoulder.

"What?" Stefan threw out his arms, blushing because of Melissa's unexpected attention.

"You still love her."

"No, no way do I still love her. Do I care deeply for her, yes, but I don't love her, nor am I in love with her," Stefan reassured, austerely.

Melissa looked at him for a minute, feeling him out, "Okay, so you're not in love with her anymore. That's good. I guess."

"It is a good thing, Melissa. She's been with me, my brother. I can't see myself going back to Elena. I could never trust her, again." A gloomy look soon covered Stefan's pleasant one.

Melissa stared at him for a moment, almost understanding what he must have gone through as she thought about her own jealousy over Elena spending time with Tyler. "Yeah, I know what you mean." She walked over to the couch, a dejected look in her eyes.

Stefan watched her, escaping his own sorrowing thoughts. He went and sat beside Melissa.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, no, not really," she chuckled. "Tyler said he doesn't like jealous girls."

"Unf, well that's good, because you're a woman." He smiled.

Melissa snatched her eyes to his, astounded. "Thanks, Stefan." She grinned from ear to ear. "I know I shouldn't be jealous, but Elena's tall, beautiful, and she has those long legs."

"…and you're beautiful, too. You just come in this short, adorable, and amazing little package."

"Oh, my god. You always know what to say to the ladies. You are so smooth Salvatore. Just stop."

"When you stop being so modest, I'll stop being so smooth." They laughed.

"Do you think, Tyler, will leave me for her?"

"Stop this right now, Melissa. What guy would leave you? You're everything a real man could want and more," he said seriously.

"You really mean that?"

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't." Stefan clasped his hand over Melissa's, interlocking their fingers. She lay her hand on top of his, caressing it as she smiled tenderly at him.

"Lucy, is so lucky to have you."

"Hell yeah she is." They laughed, again.

"You know what? You, Tyler, Lucy, and I should go to Florida to find Abby. We need a couples retreat."

"Oh, yes! We should! Tyler stays cooped up in this house, protecting Natasha. I'm not saying anything's wrong with that, but he needs to have a life, too. Now that she's older, we should be able to do more things together away from the house without her."

"I agree. I'll talk to, Lucy, see what she thinks about a trip to Florida."

"Oh, yeah. Where is, Lucy?"

.o .O. o.

"I'm here. What the hell do you want?" Lucy barged into Hayden's home, a glowering look on her face.

"God, you're so beautiful when you're angry."

Lucy marched into the living room and then over to the stereo, turning it off.

"Wine and Maxwell, Hayden? Really?"

"Well, what I have to tell you is super terrific. I have a feeling you'll want to celebrate." He gave her a cocky grin.

Lucy wanted to smack the grin right off his face, right after she ripped off his clothes.

"Just tell me what you have to tell me so I can be on my way."

"You used to be so much fun, a daredevil. What happened?" he said playfully.

"You happened that's what. You came into my life. You swept me off my feet, and then you broke my heart. I will never forgive you, Hayden," Lucy rattled off in an emotional voice and then angrily folded her arms.

Hayden hung his head as he pushed his hands into his pockets, thinking of what to say. He looked back up at her, seeing the tears welling up in his eyes.

He wasn't a crier, but his eyes filled with tears when he felt like his life was falling apart at the seams. He was all but sure that he lost his job at the hospital. He hated the things that he had done under Shing's control, and now his one last attempt at winning Lucy over had failed.

"Lucy, I still love you, and I don't think I will ever stop loving you."

"Save it, Hayden! Just tell me what I came here to hear so I can be done with you, with this!"

"I took Luna to the person she had seen in her vision." He swallowed, mustering up the strength to continue. "He's dead, Lucy."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure, Lucy. He had blisters all over his body. His breathing was shallow; he had a faint heartbeat. There was nothing left of the guy."

Lucy sighed, relieved by the information. "This is good news. Thank you for telling me. I know how hard it must have been, knowing that you had to see me, again," she said fiddling with her fingers nervously.

"I'd do anything to protect you and your family."

Lucy smiled, "Well, I better go. Stefan and the others are probably worried about me." She grabbed her purse and headed for the door.

Hayden watched her as she walked slowly to the door and then vamp sped to her.

"Lucy, please. You still love me. I can see it in your eyes and in your actions. I can be the man you want and need me to be."

"…but I can't be the woman you want me to be, Hayden. I'm a witch. I'm a supernatural being, and I'm proud of who I am."

"…and I'm a vampire."

"No…you're not. You're a shell of one, and I can't be with or love someone who isn't honest with themselves." She turned to walk away.

Hayden whirled her back around to him, taking her by the shoulders.

"I am proud of who I am. I can be a vampire." He argued.

"Prove it." Lucy pulled down her blouse and revealed her pulsing vein to him.

Hayden hadn't feed from a living host in over 300 years.

"You say that you can be a vampire, and that your proud of who you are, then feed from me," she said through clenched teeth.

"I could kill you," he said, afraid.

"Prove it, you fucking coward!" she screamed.

Hayden glowered at Lucy as the veins began to cover his smooth peanut butter cheeks, and then in a blink, he bit into her.

"Oh god!" Lucy winced loudly in pain after his fangs plunged deep into her neck.

He greedily suckled, tickling her as he drank her blood and as they began to float down to the floor.

"Yes," Lucy moaned lowly.

Hayden enfolded her in his arms, losing all his senses as he took in her warm ambrosia. It had been so long since he feed from a living host that he had truly forgotten how wonderful it felt and tasted. He rubbed all over her strongly, feeling urges that he always felt when holding her. Oh how he wanted to fuck Lucy, be deep inside of her, but alas, he had to pull himself away from this ardent moment and go back to his mundane existence.

He drew away from her, tilting his head back, smiling with delight before letting out a guttural and pleasurable growl.

Lucy looked at him, astonished by the fact that he had enough courage to go against everything that he stood for and believed in for over 300 years just to prove to her that he could and would change for her. She was so impressed by this that she began to fill with guilt and also with another dangerous and overwhelming feeling that she believed had long escaped her when it came to Hayden, love.

She fumbled around for her things and then ran out of his house like a mad woman.

Hayden had finally come to his senses after hearing her car start up.

"Lucy!" he screamed after her. She sped out of the driveway, driving like a bat out of hell.

"Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!" she chanted over and over again, as she glanced between the road and at the reflection of the wounds his fangs left behind.

.o .O. o.

Damon and Bonnie made Natasha macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets for dinner. Bonnie assumed it was the ideal meal for kids, but Natasha had only taken a few bites of her food after being very adamant about being hungry.

"I'm sleepy."

"You've taking a few bites of your food, Natasha. You said you were hungry," said Damon.

"Mommy, I'm really tired," Natasha batted her big pretty eyes at her mom, turning Bonnie into mush.

"Okay, baby."

"Well, we know who's going to be the push over."

"Nah, en," said Bonnie. Natasha smiled.

"Oh, I saw that. You smiled." Damon walked over to his daughter and tickled her tummy.

"Come on, sweetie. Let's get you a bath and then get you into bed. Damon, you got the kitchen, right?"

"Yes, I'll clean the kitchen. It really should be, Tyler and Elena, but I digress."

"Stop bitching, Damon."

"Be nice, daddy."

"Ugh, if I must." He smirked. "I'll be up in a minute to tuck you in, all right?" he kissed Natasha on the cheek goodnight. She squeezed him tightly to her and then left with her mother.

Damon watched them until they were gone. He then begin clearing the dirty dishes. As he cleaned off the table, he heard laughter in the living room. He walked to the doorway, seeing Stefan and Melissa, wrestling and laughing. He cocked his brow curiously at their odd behavior.

This didn't please Damon, not one bit. Everything was going according to plan. Stefan was with Lucy. Tyler was with Melissa, and he was with Bonnie. They were supposed to be this one big happy family, and now this strange fellow named, Hayden had appeared from out of nowhere. The bewitching Melissa was turning heads everywhere she went, his brother was one of the heads that she had turned it would seem, and Tyler was a big old goof.

"Stefan!" Damon yelled in a reprimanding voice.

"Huh, what?" Stefan looked at his brother as he lay under Melissa being tickled.

"Get your fucking ass…in this kitchen, and help me clean it up."

"Uh, okay. Sorry, Melissa."

"It's cool. I want to check in on Natasha anyway," she said as she hopped up off of Stefan and then ran upstairs.

Stefan sprang from the couch and jogged to the kitchen. Damon rolled his eyes at him and then trailed off behind him. He watched as Stefan loaded the dishes into the dishwasher with a glaring look in his eyes before speaking, "What the hell are you and Melissa up to?"

Stefan narrowed his gaze and looked oddly at his brother. "Melissa and me, are not up to anything. What the hell are you talking about?"

"All I know Stefan, is that you're with Lucy, but you're frolicking around on the sofa with Melissa. What the fuck was that?"

"Oh, my god. Give me a fucking break, Damon. She's my friend. She's like a little sister to me."

"You better get your head out of your ass, Stefan. That Hayden guy was no stranger to, Lucy. They have history. I bet my life on it, and by the looks of things, neither one of them are over whatever the hell they once had."

"Damon, you don't know that. If Lucy still had feelings for someone else, she wouldn't have wanted to be with me. I believe in what Lucy and I have. I'm not insecure in my relationships like you were with every girl you've been with."

"I'm very secure in my relationship and marriage to, Bonnie Bennett-Salvatore, thank you very much." Damon kicked Stefan in the ass.

"Ouch," Stefan feigned hurt and then laughed. "Okay, for once you're secure in a relationship, prick." They both chuckled. "Now will you calm down?"

"Okay, I'll calm down, for now, but I'm warning you." Damon poked his finger in Stefan's face and he bit it.

"You fucker!" Horse playing soon ensued between the two brothers as they chased each other around the kitchen table.

Stefan couldn't help but think the entire time and what he and Damon had been missing out on for all those decades that they were at odds with each other over a woman. This was the older brother he had always wanted.

.o .O. o.

Elena and Tyler found themselves in her car still talking. Their conversation started out about general things like her job and school. Tyler then felt himself wanting to probe Elena about her love life, and for what he didn't know. Secretly, he wished that she could find the right guy. He felt sorry for her, and this was a first for him.

There was a time when he thought Elena was selfish and got everything she wanted.

After she became sired to Damon, he grew a soft spot for her because he knew what it felt like for him when he was sired. He wouldn't wish that life on anyone. Tyler felt like things that happened in Elena's life after she became a vampire were beyond her control- _sometimes_.

Now that she was back to her old self, he was compelled to help her find her way back to a normal life. She was his friend, and over the fall when she was trying to piece her emotions back together after Damon's death, they strangely grew closer, against all odds. Though Elena was a self-absorbed monster, he managed to connect with her still.

"Your feelings for Stefan are growing stronger, aren't they?"

She lazily nodded, "Yeah, and I'm scared. I know he'll never feel the same way about me, ever again."

Tyler didn't really know what to say after her response. Deep down, he knew that if he were Stefan, he wouldn't want to be with Elena, again either. Too much had happened.

"I think you better chalk your relationship up with Stefan to the one who got away."

"Gee, thanks," Elena said and then laughed. "You just tell it like it is, don't you. There's no sugar coating things with you is there, Lockwood?"

"Not when it comes to my friendships. Honesty is the best policy. The goal is to protect your friends."

"This is true."

A silence fell over them as they stared at each other with a serious gaze.

"Why are you here, Tyler?"

"I'm protecting, Natasha. She needs me."

"No, I mean in this car, talking to me. Melissa is not happy about us hanging out. You should respect that."

"I do respect that." He chuckled and then frowned at her absurd remark. "Elena, I hope you don't think that I harbor some secret crush for you. I'm only trying to be your friend. Can you not be such a selfish bitch for once, gosh?"

"Ugh," Elena huffed and then hit him on the arm with all of her might. "Get out of my car, Tyler."

"I'm sorry, Elena. That came out all wrong."

"I don't care. Just get the fuck out." They looked heatedly at each other for a moment.

"I apologize, again, Elena. Please call me when you get to the house so that I know you made it home okay." He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek and then got out of the car. He watched as she sped off, feeling upset with himself for his rude comment. He couldn't figure out why he was so harsh to her.

"Way to be a jerk, Tyler."

.o .O. o.

After Natasha took a bath, Bonnie combed and brushed her hair. She sat quietly between her mother's legs as she continued to massage her scalp with the bristles of the brush.

Natasha tried to drown the awful images of Kai's body from her mind to no avail. She couldn't risk telling anyone about what happened. She did a bad thing. She almost killed someone.

Bonnie was oblivious to her daughter's own personal hell as she combed her hair with her finger tips and detangled it with the brush. She was elated by the fact that she was having a precious moment with her little girl.

Damon came creeping into the room, happily watching mother and daughter. He then came and sat down on the bed beside Bonnie. He too began to comb his daughter's chestnut hair with his fingertips.

"All right, Natasha. I'm all done."

Damon went to the bookshelf and pulled out a book. During one of their many shopping sprees, they brought Natasha some books, especially for tucking her in at night.

Natasha climbed into bed. Bonnie tucked her tightly under the covers. Damon couldn't help but laugh at the domestic scene playing out in front of him. He had months to prepare for such a moment like this one, but it still seemed so surreal.

"What's funny, daddy?"

"Oh nothing," he raced her a loving grin, trying to hide the hilarity he felt in this moment.

"Your daddy is not used to living this type of life."

"What type of life is he used to living?"

"You don't need to worry about that baby girl. Let's read about, 'Pinkalicious." Damon forced out a grin. Bonnie sniggered.

Damon didn't think he'd ever feel guilty about having to talk about his past, but this is how he felt after realizing that someday, he would have to tell Natasha all about the man he once was. He was all but sure that she would want to know every pain staking detail of everything that he had done.

Bonnie lay beside her daughter, and Damon sat on the other side of her propped up against the headboard, reading.

Natasha was truly interested in the Pinkalicious girl, who loved nothing but pink, but like before, her mind wandered off to what happened in the woods with the strange bad guy.

Bonnie noticed immediately that her daughter was distracted. It was hard to miss, especially since Natasha had all but pulled the covers up over her nose and was clutching the bedding with a death grip.

"Damon, wait."

"Natasha, something happened today. You have to tell me. I can't protect you if I don't know what's wrong."

"Your mother and I, won't let anything bad happen to you. I promise. You can tell us anything Nat. We love you, so much," Damon lovingly added.

"I went out into the woods without permission. I got lost. It scared me that's all. The woods are so dark, big, and scary. I heard creepy noises."

"I'm going to kill, Tyler."

"See, this is why I didn't want to tell you. I don't want you to hurt, Tyler." Natasha start crying.

"Damon." Bonnie pleaded with him to stop.

He begin to feel bad because he had made his daughter cry.

"I won't hurt Tyler, Natasha. I give you my word."

"You can't be mad at him either," Natasha fussed.

"Now you're not being fair," Damon bit.

"Will you stop it," Bonnie defended.

"Can you back me up, Bon Bon?"

"Can we talk about this later, buttercup?" Bonnie rolled her eyes.

"Buttercup? Ugh, don't nick name, that's my thing."

Natasha laughed at her parents.

"Natasha, we're upset with Tyler for not watching after you, but we promise not to be too hard on him. Now are you sure that you're okay?"

"I'm okay. I have the best parents in the world. I love you, mommy and daddy." She tried to be more upbeat as she fought fiercely to purge the terrifying thoughts from her head.

"Aww, and you're the best daughter in the world. I love you, sweetie," Bonnie declared.

"I love you, too, baby girl. Do you want me to finish the book?" he asked.

"No, I'm sleepy, but tomorrow okay."

Damon and Bonnie kissed Natasha goodnight and then turned off her lights.

Natasha looked around at how dark the room and her parents scary silhouettes as they walked toward the light of the door. "Mom, it's too dark," she said, frightened.

Bonnie turned on her closet and bathroom light and cracked the doors. "Is that better?"

"Much." She grinned.

"Goodnight, sweetie," said Damon. He turned off the bedroom light, again, and cracked her bedroom door.

Natasha quickly covered her head with the covers and squeezed her eyes together but that only made things worse as Kai's blistered, bloody body, and loud deafening screams echoed even more loudly and vividly in the darkness.

"Go away, please," she cried.

.o .O. o.

Lucy dragged herself into the boarding house. She lazily threw her things on the couch. She dared Damon to get on to her about her terrible indiscretion.

She then thought about how to explain the bite mark on her neck made by Hayden. She had two choices. She could tell Stefan the truth about what happened, or she could tell him the most fabulous lie in all the world only for it to come back and bite her viciously in the ass later. She chose the former. Stefan was a good guy, and she was determined to make a good life with him, to see their relationship through.

She longed to have a good loyal guy in her life.

She heard someone in the kitchen. Her instincts told her that it was Stefan. Lucy was never one to ignore her intuitions.

"Hi, Stefan," she greeted in a soft voice as Stefan stood at the sink, wiping off the counter.

"Oh, hey babe." Stefan turned and walked to her. He put his arms around her waist and was going in for a kiss when he saw the bite mark.

"What the hell?" he questioned with a peculiar gaze as he swept her hair to the side to get a better view of her wound.

"It's nothing. I let my friend feed from me," she explained nonchalantly, hoping it would soften the blow.

Stefan looked at her for a moment and then backed away from her. He placed his hands on his hips, lowering his gaze to the floor as his jaw began to click. He was infuriated with Lucy.

"Hayden, right?"

"Hayden?" Lucy gave him a questioning look, knowing full well what Stefan meant by his inquiry.

"He's the friend you supposedly let feed from you."

"Uh, yeah, yeah. It was nothing though. I assure you."

"Oh, it was nothing, which is why he couldn't take it from your wrist or hand like most friends do when they share blood." Stefan's piercing eyes burned a hole right through Lucy. She shuffled apprehensively on her feet, her lips partially opened as she tried to come up with the right words to ease Stefan's frustration with her.

"We were talking and he needed blood, so I gave him mine."

Stefan went back to the sink, putting his focus back on what he was currently doing before Lucy entered.

"Hayden, told me that the person that Shing's friend had planned to get to help them is dead. That's great news, right?" Lucy stared at the back of his head with a dismal look in her eyes.

Stefan didn't reply.

She then rushed to his side, "That's great news, right Stefan? Now we can all live in peace and have a normal life, at least until the next great threat comes along, you know." She laughed.

Stefan finally stopped what he was doing, turning his concerned gaze to hers. "Are you still in love with this guy, Lucy? I mean." He paused, slightly shaking his head. "What is he to you? Should I be worried? I can't take another cheating girlfriend. I can't take being lied to and lead on. Just be honest with me. I'm a man. I'm your friend. I can take it."

She looked affectionately at the sweet boy in front of her, who was definitely a man. She then caressed his strong jaw, ran her fingers over his thin lips, and smiled before leaning into him for a kiss. She sighed deeply, preparing herself to explain and break things down to him.

"I thought." She took in a sharp intake of air. "I thought I no longer cared for Hayden, but I do."

Stefan exhaled and then sat down at the kitchen table linking his hands on top of it.

"I don't want Hayden anymore, Stefan. He dumped me, because he didn't want to be with a witch, but now he says that he does. I won't to lie to you and say I'm not tempted to see this new Hayden, but like you, I want someone loyal and true. I don't want a guy who's unsure of who he is and what he wants." She rushed to the table, sitting down next to Stefan. She reached her hand over to him and enfolded it with hers.

"I want to be with you, Stefan. I want to see our relationship blossom and grow."

As Lucy explained and declared herself to him, his mind went wandering off to thinking about how he and Melissa hung out. His eyes widened. He pinched the bridge of his nose. He became nervous. He was in the middle of a very serious conversation with his girlfriend, a woman he really, really _liked, _but here he was, thinking about Melissa, tickling him on the couch.

Stefan outwardly chuckled, laughing at the absurdity of what was happening to him.

_I'm just protecting myself. My detached feelings are just some protective mechanism, right?_ He questioned internally.

"Huh?" he snatched his wide-eyed daze to Lucy. Her happy laughter had startled him.

"I'm glad that you're okay with this," she said, taking Stefan's laughter as a good sign.

"Oh yeah, I'm totally okay with this Lucy. I understand how hard it is to get over someone you had an incredible history with. It took me a long time to get over Elena, and even now, I still care very deeply for her."

"I'm glad you understand, and I'm glad you still want me."

Stefan looked at her with a vacant look in his eyes, as he explained to himself inwardly about what was happening, _to himself_. He then crashed his lips into Lucy's. He needed to know that something was still there and that he wasn't going crazy or just lying to himself about his feelings for her. He parted her lips with his, snaked his tongue into her mouth, and swirled it around hers. He was so happy. He still felt a flicker of something wonderful for her.

He liked flickers, because they often turned into full blown fires. He pulled away from her and they laughed at their sloppy kiss. His eyes then traveled to the entrance of the kitchen, seeing Melissa.

He jumped up from his chair, "Melissa!" he said in a raised and surprised voice and then flashed her an affectionate look.

"You two…go get a room," she teased as she stammered for the words. There was a dimness in her voice as she spoke, and it caught Stefan's attention. He studied her for a moment.

_Is she sad because I kissed, Lucy? _Stefan grinned.

_Why do I feel sad because he kissed Lucy? _Melissa outwardly frowned.

"Phew, I'm sleepy. I better go to bed." She rushed out of the kitchen and then mouthed, 'Oh, my god,' once she was absent from their presence.

The moment Stefan lay eyes on Melissa, he came alive. He picked Lucy up bridal style and vamp sped her to their bedroom and ripped off her clothes.

"Yes," Lucy moaned as Stefan began to fuck her with vigor. He thrust himself into her as if he hadn't seen her in years, as if he would die if he didn't go any deeper into her tight cunt.

Here they were, making mad passionate love as their minds simultaneously ping pong from thoughts of Hayden and Melissa, and they never felt more alive.

.o .O. o.

"You want to take a shower together?" Damon asked after they entered their bedroom and then winked at Bonnie.

"Not now. It's been a long day. I need to lie down, just for a few minutes." Bonne removed her shoes and socks and fell across the bed.

Damon pulled off his shoes, socks, shirt, and plopped down on the bed alongside her, placing his arm over her waist as he snuggled closer to her.

"You know that I'm going to fall fast asleep with you holding me. I'll never get out of this bed."

"Oh, Bon Bon, you were never going to get out of this bed whether I wrapped my arms around you or not." They tittered.

"Do you believe Natasha when she says nothing happened to her in the woods?" she asked.

"No, do you?"

"No, but what could've happened?" Bonnie questioned.

"I think she inadvertently used her magic and killed one of Stefan's furry little friends and it scared the ever loving shit out of her. She thinks that we'll be angry with her."

"Oh, god. Why didn't I think of that? I have to show her how to control her magic."

"Don't feel bad. This morning we woke up to her being a little girl. How were we supposed to know that something like this would happen? Please don't beat yourself up over this, Bonnie."

"I can't help it, Damon. She's my little girl, and I went skipping off like I didn't have responsibilities."

"No, Bonnie. That's not what you did. You had a doctor's appointment. We spent some much needed time alone, and then we went shopping for our daughter some night gowns and clothes to wear. We're very responsible parents. We can't stop every bad thing from happening to our children no matter how hard we try, so stop beating yourself up about this."

"Ugh," Bonnie grunted, irritated.

Damon wanted to let Bonnie go to sleep, but he needed to talk to her about another matter that concerned him. He was embarrassed to tell her that he was worried about Stefan's and Lucy's relationship. He couldn't believe he'd care about something so trivial.

"I can't believe I'm saying this. Hell, I can't believe I'm worried about my brother's love life. This is so embarrassing," Damon said with a hint of sadness and frustration in his voice.

"What do you mean?" Bonnie asked, cocking her brow.

"I saw Stefan and Melissa cavorting around on the sofa tonight, and I have this strange suspicion that Lucy and Hayden were once an item."

"Your feelings are valid, Damon. You want your brother to be happy, and more so now than ever. I don't want to hurt your feelings or dig up old wounds, but I know you still feel personally responsible for breaking Stefan and Elena up, which you should, but I believe they're the reason you feel so invested in your brother's love life and his happiness. I think that's sweet. You're on the path to a good life and a healthy relationship with your brother."

"Wow, you really believe that?"

"Yes, Damon," Bonnie giggled.

"Do you want Lucy and Stefan to stay together?" he asked.

"Well of course I do, but if they're happier with other people, then I'm okay with that, too. Will you be happy for them if they fell in love with other people?"

"Yeah, you're right. I want my brother to truly be happy, and I don't care who that woman is as long as he's happy."

"What if that woman is Elena?"

A silence immediately cascaded down on them.

"I want my brother to truly be happy with anyone but Elena," he said cutely. Bonnie burst into a fit of laughter.

They sobered as sleepiness came down on them like a ton of bricks. Just as they were falling into a deep slumber, Natasha came crashing smack dab in the middle of them.

"Waaa!" screamed Bonnie. "Oh, shit! Fuck!" shouted Damon.

"Natasha! What the hell?" Damon rushed out, unnerved.

"Please, can I sleep in here? There's a monster in my room."

"Sure baby," Bonnie answered, a worried expression on her face. She turned around, covering Natasha with her arm. Damon then covered them both with his strong arm, pressing them tightly to him before kissing Natasha on the forehead. He and Bonnie then looked at each other, an extremely concerned look in their eyes.


	28. Chapter 28: The Engagement Part I

**A/N: **_I'm playing with the coupling right now, deciding what feels natural. "There's a couple that I feel organically attached to, but I won't say who they are because people will be pissed… LOL! I know that my direction isn't pleasing to some, and your feelings are valid._

_I'm comfortable with the direction I'm going in currently, and. __**"I"**__ don't feel that any couple is forced but I respect how my readers feel. _

_Lucy and Stefan were meant to be friends with benefits- only. I don't feel that I've written too many significant and deep scenes for them. I feel like I have a lot of room to play around with this couple and it feels good to give Lucy a past, another life. _

_I want to find out if Stelucy's feelings are deeper than their ust. These are questions I've posed in the writing and I want to answer them. I want to add a little spice, drama, test these characters, and these couples. I hope you all will continue to enjoy the journey. _

_The only sure endgame is Bamon. No other pairing has been set in stone at this time._

_I hope you enjoy these chapters. Don't freak out. Remain calm… LOL! _

_I love the prompts, good, bad, or indifferent. _

_Merry Christmas, Or Happy Holidays!_

_**Oblivion Chapter 28: The Engagement Part I**_

Damon woke up before the break of dawn. Natasha's nightmares kept her kicking and hitting him all night long. He sat in the chair on the other side of the room, watching as his two favorite girls slept. Bonnie was sound asleep. She was so still that one would assume she were dead.

If it weren't for his vampire hearing, listening to the thumping sound of hers and the baby's heartbeat, he'd swear that she was no longer a part of the land of the living as well.

Natasha on the other hand, was still tossing, turning, and jabbering in her sleep. Damon watched her for a few minutes, thinking that she would settle down, but no such luck.

He hurried to her side, caressed her forehead, and gently nudged her shoulder. Damon suddenly couldn't remember whether it was a bad or good idea to wake a person having a nightmare or not.

He swayed his head from side to side, his eyes narrowed, recollecting on if he should wake her up or not. The light bulb in his head finally blinked on. _That's right, it's a bad idea to wake a person- sleep walking. Aha! Damon, you're a genius. _

He nudged Nat's shoulder, again, as he called softly to her. Her eyes popped open. She looked out at the room with panic in her blue eyes. She grasped the covers, fisting them in her small hands as her chest rapidly rose and fell. Tears streamed down her temples to the pillow as she pushed out quick shallow breaths.

"Natasha." Damon's eyes were tight, his brow furrowed, tensed.

His daughter was in distress, and he didn't like that she was distressed one bit.

The father in him, wanted to reprimand her for not telling him the truth, but his heart feared that it would only make her clam up. He didn't want to push his little girl away.

His tension eased. A more pleasant look covered his face. "You had a bad dream?" he asked in the sweetest of voices.

"Yes," Natasha whimpered.

"It was only a dream Nat. Whatever happened, it won't come true," he assured as he wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"…but…but…but what if it does come true?"

"If anyone tries to hurt my little girl." He stopped, his jaw clicking profusely, "I'll kill them." Damon's happy expression darkened.

Natasha looked at her father's heartless face, all wide-eyed and slack-jaw. Everything told her that her daddy would and could destroy the bad guy, but his reassurance still wasn't enough to get her to open up about the man who had attacked her in the woods.

She rose from the mattress, swathing her arms around Damon. He enfolded her in his loving and protective grasp, pressing her tiny body against him as he shut his eyes and tenderly rubbed her back, comforting her.

Damon couldn't believe how much he could love one person. He knew he loved Bonnie and Stefan with everything inside of him, but he had hurt them. He could hurt them emotionally or verbally at any time, but not because he wanted to, but this little person in his arms, made his heart heavy with just the thought of hurting her.

Natasha pulled away from the hug, resting her head against Damon's chest.

"It's still early. You want to go back to sleep?"

"I'm hungry."

"I bet. Come on. Let's get you a bowl of cereal."

Damon stood, giving her his hand to take. Natasha smiled as she linked hands with her father. They walked hand in hand to the kitchen as if they didn't have a care in all the world.

After entering the kitchen, Damon picked Natasha up and plopped her down onto the barstool. He smiled. She grinned back.

He placed two bowls and two spoons down on the counter. He poured the cereal, the milk, and then took the seat next to hers. They unknowingly and in chorus, grabbed their spoons, scooping up their first bite of cereal. After taking their first bite, they looked at each other, and giggled.

"Is it good?" Damon smirked.

Natasha quickly nodded. "I think I'm going to want another bowl," she said seriously.

Damon chuckled, almost choking on his cereal.

A serene quietness fell over the room as they ate their cereal. Damon poured her another bowl of the sweet goodness and then brewed himself a cup of coffee.

His single cup brewed in under a minute. He picked up his coffee, blowing in to it to cool the hot liquid as he looked at Natasha.

"You want to tell me about this bad dream you had?" He leaned over the counter, his silvery blue eyes drilling a hole into hers as he waited for her to answer.

"I don't remember what my dream was about," Natasha replied, looking timorously down into her bowl of cereal.

"You know what I think, baby girl." He stood straight, took a sip of his coffee, and then put his eyes back on her.

"What?" she answered sheepishly as she slowly lifted her gaze to his.

"I think you do remember that dream. I think you remember that dream because it really happened." He paused.

"You don't have to be afraid to tell me about what happened in the woods. I promise I won't be angry. You're my little girl. It's my job to protect and take care of you. Don't you want me to protect you from the big, bad monster?" He looked her square in the eye, a slight smirk on his face as he slid his hand across the counter, leaning in to Natasha. He took her hand and held it firmly in his.

She looked at him, a deadpan look on her face. A minute went by and she still had not responded.

"Please, Natasha. Talk to me," he said imploringly, a hint of disappointment and sadness in his voice.

This was all Damon Salvatore needed, another woman that he couldn't win over with his good looks and silvery words. Though he meant every word he said to his daughter. He found it unimaginable that she wouldn't give in to him.

"There's no monster to protect me from."

"Why?" He scanned her expressionless face, confused.

"-because I killed it," she answered, her voice haunting and distant.

Damon slowly stood, an astounded look on his face. Natasha hopped off the stool and walked casually out of the kitchen. He continued to watch her with a thunderstruck look on his face. The lights in the room seem to dim as the distance between them widened.

Natasha wasn't supposed to be so in control of her feelings after killing a living thing. She was supposed to be running into her father's arms, sending him out into the world to take care of the bad thing or person, but no, he and Bonnie brought forth this brave, mysterious, and beautiful little girl who was already taking matters into her own hands. She was Bonnie and Damon all rolled up into one, and it was marvelous, and- it was frightening.

In this inescapable moment, Damon was both extremely proud- but terrified as hell, _of Natasha._

.o .O. o.

Lucy looked over at the clock. It was a little after seven in the morning. The first thought on her mind was Hayden, and how he had fed from her. She dwelled on their encounter for several moments before her thoughts whirlwind to her entire relationship with him. She thought about the moment they met on the busy streets of New York, to when they traveled the world with Doctors without Borders.

Lucy loved the life she had with Hayden. He was a man always on the go, like her, never living in the same place for too long. Whenever the wind would blow, so would they, and it was simply them and no one to anchor them down like kids, mortgage, or other family members.

She also knew that they moved around so much because he was a vampire, and she had no qualms with that. She also had no misgivings about him not telling her that he was a vampire either. She supposed it was because he didn't want to be used for his powers or that maybe he wanted to be free of the supernatural world. Lucy, too, didn't want to be used for her gifts either. She had to take care of herself and that meant concealing her true identity at times.

Lucy then thought about why she didn't come clean with Hayden about being a witch earlier in their relationship. They could've cleared the air about what they were right from the start instead of wasting four years getting invested in each other and becoming more emotionally attached. She loved being a witch. She wished that Hayden had loved and accepted what he was, too, then maybe they would've still been together.

For the first time since she and Hayden had broken up, she begin to see how she was just as at fault for their relationship ending as he was.

She then begin to remember his face when she had decided to come clean about being a witch, it was the day she found the beautiful engagement ring that Hayden had hidden away in a drawer.

_**************************************Flashback************************************_

"_Oh my god. He's going to propose?" Lucy whispered, stunned. _

"_I have to tell him the truth. I have to tell him I'm a witch, and then he'll come clean about being a vampire. There'll be no more secrets in our relationship." She slightly smiled at finally getting the opportunity to relieve herself of her heavy burden. _

"_Lucy, I'm home!" Hayden called. _

_Lucy closed the red velvet box and then stuffed it into her pocket. She inhaled and exhaled deeply before going out to greet him. _

"_Hey, baby. How was your day?" she asked. _

"_Fantastic, and it's even better now that I'm home with the sexiest woman in all the world," he answered as he took her face into his hands, planting moist smooches on her lips. _

_Lucy lovingly stroked his arms, kissing him back. _

_He broke away from their kiss and put his focus back on putting away the groceries. Lucy stood motionless, watching him as he moved hastily around the kitchen. _

_Hayden finally noticed her. He narrowed his eyes, wondering why Lucy looked so moot. _

"_Lucy, what's wrong?" he asked, giving her a caring and worried look. _

_She unveiled the ring box, opened it, and sat it down on the counter. _

_Hayden swallowed, thinking the worse. _

"_That's- uh, uh, uh, uh," _

"_It's an engagement ring?" she smiled. _

"_Are you upset with me for getting you an engagement ring, because I can take it back, it's no big deal. If you hate it, I…I…I can get you another one. If it's too sudden, I can understand if you want to wait. I'll wait for you as long as you need me to, but please don't say no?" He pleaded ever so tenderly. _

_Lucy laughed, stepping closer to him, and rested her finger against his lips, silencing him. "I would love to be your wife. I love you, Hayden, so much, but there's something you should know about me. You should know what you're getting into before you marry me."_

"_I know who you are, Lucy Bennett. You're the world's most incredible woman. You're my soulmate. You're the perfect person for me." _

_Lucy closed her eyes and then spit out the words, "I'm a witch, Hayden. I have powers."_

_He looked at her for a moment, trying to process what she had told him. After a few moments of mulling over her words, he stammered back against the counter, devastated. He pressed his hand against his heart, bunching up his shirt as if winded. _

"_You're…you're….you're a witch, and you're just now telling me?" he questioned, perturbed. _

"_I know. I should've told you a long time ago, but I was afraid that if you knew, you'd use me."_

"_You were afraid that I'd use you?" he asked disbelievingly, bulging his eyes. _

"_Lucy, we've been together for four years! Four Years! You know me better than that!" _

"_I know! I know, but it just kept slipping my mind. We were so happy, and I didn't want anything to ruin that, Hayden. We can make it through this! You're a vampire! I'm a witch! We're one of a kind you and I."_

"_What did you say?" he asked, not believing that she knew about him being a vampire._

"_Hayden, I know that you're a vampire. I've known it since the first moment I met you, and I'm okay with that."_

"_No! No!" he pointed his finger aggressively in her direction, strongly objecting her words. "I am not a vampire. I'm not a blood sucking leech. I never asked to be this…this…this." He growled and viciously pound his chest, showing his disdain for what he was. "I'm no vampire. I will never be one of those things, and I want nothing to do with that life."_

"_You're a fucking vampire for god sakes! Just like I felt what you were, you don't think others like me will discover it, too?"_

"_Others have discovered it Lucy, but they didn't stick around and enter a relationship with me, pretending to be human. How could you do this me, to us?" he screamed. _

"_What are you saying to me, Hayden? Are you saying you can't be with me because I'm a witch? Are you that much of a coward and so stubborn that you can't stand to be with someone like you? Love is accepting of all things!" _

"_Love is not accepting of lies and deceit! People who love each other don't lie to one another Lucy, and if you were so damn happy about being a witch, why did you lie to me for so long?"_

"_I don't know!" _

"_It doesn't even matter why you did or didn't tell me, because I know what I want, and it's a normal life."_

"_What are you saying, Hayden?" She asked coolly. _

"_I'm saying that I don't want this life, Lucy." He paused. "You being a witch will only invite those demons into my life, and I refuse to be sucked back into that world."_

"_Just say it, Hayden?" Lucy screamed as tears streamed down her cheeks. _

_Hayden looked at her with a dejected look in his eyes, his face red, and his chest heaving, "I love you, Lucy, but I can't. We can't do this," he replied in a wobbly voice. He looked at her for a minute. He then kissed her forehead, letting his lips linger against her warm skin for what seemed like forever to Lucy, and then walked away. _

_Lucy stood paralyzed with overwhelming emotions as she listened to Hayden leave, slamming the door shut behind him. _

Lucy's eyes popped open after reliving the most demoralizing time in her life.

She felt Stefan moving about the bed. She almost wanted to cry when she thought about him asking her to get out of bed or make love to him as she had no zest for life in this moment.

After thinking about her breakup with Hayden, all she wanted to do was lie in bed all day and cry. That time in her life almost broke her, and it wasn't until her mission to save Bonnie and a rogue vampire named Stefan that she found strength and the determination to live again.

Lucy covered her face with her hands and silently cried over Hayden- for a second time.

.o .O. o.

Natasha sat on the couch with her mother after having her second breakfast, coloring. That awful moment she had in the woods with Kai, seem to fade away as a different feeling and urge seem to well up inside of her. Her body was craving blood, but she was too naïve about what she was to know what was happening.

Natasha was like her mother when it came to bottling things up, but luckily for her, she had people in her life who really cared about her. She had people around her who weren't too self-involved to notice that she was hurting and needed them.

Damon walked into the living room with a blood bag in hand. He grabbed a glass from underneath the bar and then looked at Natasha and Bonnie coloring.

He looked absorbedly at his daughter as she distractedly colored in her side of the book. She'd color a little, and then she'd look out the window with a distant look in her eyes. He was so disappointed in himself for not getting through to her.

Damon opened the bag and began pouring some of the blood into his glass.

Natasha vamped up immediately after catching the scent of the sweet ambrosia as it flowed down into the crystal. She looked at her father with hungry eyes. Damon took a sip of his breakfast before noticing his daughter's ravenous gaze.

His eyes followed the trajectory of hers, which made a b-line to his tumbler. He looked at the crimson liquid before figuring out what was wrong with his daughter. He became pissed with himself for not seeing it sooner.

"Shit!" he said, mortified. He hurried over to Natasha. Bonnie watched him curiously, still not caught up on what was happening either.

Damon sat down on the couch beside them. He smiled at Natasha as he held his glass underneath her nose. She leaned in to the tumbler, closing her eyes, and slightly smiled at the wonderful aroma coming from the glass.

Bonnie turned around and looked at her daughter, all vamped up.

"Ahh!" Screaming was her first reaction before being totally disappointed in herself for forgetting that her child was not only a witch, but a vampire, too.

Damon softly chortled at Bonnie's reaction to Natasha's appearance. He immediately put his concentration back on his little girl.

"Here, sweetie. I think you need this more than me." He handed her the glass.

Natasha sniffed the contents of the tumbler, yet again, and then gulped it all down in one take. Bonnie giggled at the huge Mickey Mouse grin on Damon's face as their child downed the cup of cherry liquid.

Natasha let out a heavenly sigh after quenching her thirst. She licked her lips and closed her eyes. "Good stuff," she said. Bonnie and Damon were tickled.

"What is this?"

"It's blood."

"Guahh!" Natasha loudly inhaled. "Why does it smell and taste so good to me?"

"Because you're a vampire, and we need it to survive."

"What I did in the woods is that part of my vampire powers, too?"

"I don't know? What did you do in the woods?" Damon looked at Bonnie who was looking at him.

Natasha didn't answer.

"Natasha, you're a special girl. You're a witch like me, and a vampire like your father."

"Oh, so do witches need blood, too?"

"No, we're human, but we just have gifts that allow us to manipulate things in nature."

"Why don't we go outside so your mother and I can show you what your powers are?" Damon suggested.

"Outside? Why can't you show me inside?"

"We can't run around inside the house, Nat."

"Tyler and I, do it all the time."

Tyler stopped what he was doing and looked impishly at them. Damon glowered at him, "If Tyler knows what's best for his ass he won't do it anymore."

"Language, Damon," Bonnie warned.

He animatedly rolled his eyes at her scolding him.

"Come on, Natasha. We're going outside. I won't take no for an answer. Nothing out there can hurt you, so come on," Damon demanded.

"No! I'm not going out there," Natasha huffed, snatching away from her father. She ran over to Tyler, and sat down on his lap.

Tyler looked at a wounded Damon and shrugged.

"Damon, can I talk to you for a minute?" Bonnie asked as she got up from the sofa, heading to the study.

Damon looked at Natasha for an instant before following after Bonnie. He walked in to the room, seeing her bothered face, folded arms, crinkled brow, and then tried to leave.

"Damon, this is serious."

"I'm kidding," he said playfully.

"We're going at this all wrong, Damon. We shouldn't approach Natasha and demand that she do what we say. We have to befriend her, get her talking, and just maybe…she'll confide in us."

"I'm way ahead of you, Bon Bon. I tried that tactic on her just this morning, before the break of dawn, while you were asleep, and you know what your daughter told me?"

"My daughter, Damon?" Bonnie returned him an incredulous look. "Is she my daughter when she's good or when she's bad?"

"When she's bad, Bonnie. Now focus," Damon said seriously.

Bonnie shook her head at his absurd comment.

"Natasha, tossed and turned, all…night…long," he enunciated.

"Really? How come I didn't notice?" She narrowed her eyes, bemused.

"Because you scooted your ass way over to the other side of the bed, leaving me as the punching bag. Now stay focused, Bonnie."

"I'm listening!" she chimed.

"Anyway, she wakes up from her nightmare, I take her downstairs and I try to bribe her to come clean about what happened in the woods."

"Well did she?"

"No, not even after I told her I'd kill anyone that messes with her."

"Please tell me you didn't tell our daughter that you'd kill someone?"

"Yes, Bonnie. I told our daughter that I'd kill someone if they hurt her. I had to try and get her to talk to me somehow."

"Yeah, except you'd actually kill someone."

"Well anyway, my plan didn't work as you can see because she still won't go outside." Damon plopped down on the arm of the couch, hitting his knee in frustration.

"That's because you don't have the magic touch. Now watch and learn," Bonnie said cockily and then walked out of the room. Damon sat there for a second with an irked look on his face.

"Natasha, come here," Bonnie said as she walked to the sofa and then sat down.

Natasha dragged herself over to her mother and then sat down.

"Would you like to come outside with me? I can make it snow." Bonnie gave her a big smile, poking her nose with her finger.

_Why didn't I think of that?_ Damon outwardly frowned.

"No, my favorite cartoon is coming on."

"Oh, what's that?"

"Uh, uh, uh, Teen Frightens?" she replied, questioning her own answer.

"Ha!" Tyler hooted.

Melissa giggled.

"Natasha, don't you want to learn how to use your vampire speed?" Bonnie asked, sitting down beside her.

"…and hear a bat piss on a leaf?"

"Damon." Bonnie cautioned.

"Ugh, okay," he mumbled.

Natasha shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe."

"Natasha, I've run across many bad people and things in my life," said Bonnie.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Were they scary and ugly?"

"They were very scary."

"Were you afraid?"

"I was very afraid, but I didn't let those bad people stop me from living my life, and you can't either."

"I can still have a good life inside."

"Mm, maybe, but you'd miss out on a lot."

"Like what?"

"Likeeeee." Bonnie picked up her glass of water off the coffee table. "Like this," she said, as she ran her fingers around the rim of the glass. Seconds later, images of Bonnie, enjoying herself outside began to reflect in the water. All her happy times at the carnival, her snowball fights with her friends, and hanging out by the lake.

"Wow! You're an angel." Natasha looked up at her mother in awe.

"If you think that's cool, wait until you see all the other things I can do."

Damon smiled. He wanted to see Bonnie perform magic, too.

"Oh! Can you teach me how to make a stack of pancakes and a tall glass of blood appear?"

"Yes, but you'll have to come outside with me first."

Natasha sulked. "What you're doing to me doesn't feel right. You say you want me to be a good witch, then show me how to do tricks right here in the house momma."

Bonnie and Damon sped each other a surprised look, not believing how wise their little girl was.

"I know I can teach you all you need to know inside, but in order to be the best person, the best witch you can be, you have to learn to conquer your fears. What good is it to be the best enchantress in all the world if you don't use your gifts to help and protect others?"

"Nat, remember this morning when you told me you took care of the bad guy?" Damon spoke up.

"Yes."

"Well, think of what would happen if the bad guy had to deal with me, you, and your mother?"

"We would defeat them?" She furrowed her brow.

"Exactly, so what do you say?"

She looked out the window, meditating, "Okay, I'll go outside." She frowned.

Everyone was elated with her answer.

"Yay, Natasha!" Tyler shouted.

"Your ass is grounded!" Damon loudly exclaimed.

Tyler puckered his brow, flashing him an annoyed look.

Melissa and Bonnie laughed.

Bonnie took Natasha's hand and they walked slowly to the door. She didn't want to rush her out. She stepped outside first. Nat hesitated, but eventually she followed her mother out, Damon on their heels.

"You want to walk around the pond?" Damon asked.

"Yes, but I don't want to go into the woods."

"That's okay, we'll take it one step at a time," Bonnie said, pleased.

They began to walk around the pond. Bonnie and Damon talked about a wide-range of harmless and mundane things. Natasha listened as she scope out her surroundings, afraid that something would happen.

Tyler and Melissa came outside, too. They sat by the water, talking and watching the others.

"I'm glad they finally got Natasha to come outside," said Melissa.

"Me too. This entire thing is my fault. I should've never left her alone."

"Where did you run off to?"

"Elena and I, were in the kitchen having a beer, discussing what happened to Luke."

"It's not your fault, Tyler. It could've happened to anyone. She's a kid. They like to explore and be adventures."

"No, Melissa. I failed Natasha. I was being irresponsible."

"She's okay, Tyler. Don't beat yourself up about it."

"Ugh, you're right." He sighed loudly, lying back on the blanket. He propped his foot up on his knee, and then rested his head on his hand.

He looked at the family of three, circling the pond for a bit, and then looked back at Melissa. He beamed as he thought about how good she was to him. He felt really bad about how he had ignored her the other night when Elena was over, "I was a little rough on you last night, and I was giving Elena too much of my attention. Will you forgive me?" He stretched his hand over to her, brushing her forearm with his fingers.

Melissa looked over at him, blushing. "Of course I'll forgive you. You're my guy. How can I stay mad at you?"

"From now on, I promise to give you my undivided attention."

"You better." She leaned into him, giving him a chaste kiss on the lips.

Tyler's phone suddenly rang. He hurriedly grabbed it from out of his pocket. "It's Elena. I'll be right back," he said and then ran off towards the house.

"Son of a bitch," Melissa hissed under her breath, stomping the ground.

"Hey, Elena. Listen, I'm sorry I called you a bitch. I was way out of line."

"…but you weren't out of line when you called me self-absorbed?"

Tyler laughed, "Let's not go getting ahead of ourselves."

Elena shook her head and then start laughing, too.

Bonnie, Damon, and Natasha were circling back around to the beautiful flower garden when Natasha decided she wanted to pick some florets for her mother. She was feeling much better now. She desired to do something special for her mother. She wanted to show Bonnie her appreciation for loving and inspiring her. Natasha loved her mother, so much, and there wasn't a second that went by when she didn't think of her mom.

She freed her hands and start walking quickly ahead of her parents.

"Hey, where you off to?" A huge grin painted across Damon's face as he watched the life return to his little girl. "You think we should convince her to take us to the place where she saw Stefan's furry girlfriend?"

"Don't push it, Damon. Once she's back inside, we'll go look for Stefan's beastly girlfriend ourselves."

Damon looked at Bonnie and chuckled due to her comment. She winked back at him. They then put their attention back on their daughter.

Natasha raced off to grab a hand full of the blooms, not realizing that she could move at the speed of sound. She vamp sped through the yard, missing her destination, and ran straight into a tree.

"Natasha!" Bonnie screamed.

"Oh!" Damon recoiled.

Bonnie tried running to her, but Damon grabbed her.

"Let go of me!" she yelled at him.

"Bonnie, let her walk it off." He pleaded, taking her face into his hands. "Let her make her mistakes. Maybe then she'll see how important it is that she learn about her powers." It was the hardest thing in the world for Damon to see his baby girl, hurting, and he not be by her side, to make it all better, but he had to get her to see reason one way or another.

"Uhhh." Natasha groaned as she lay all sprawled out on the ground, her vision blurry.

She lethargically moved about and then struggled to get to her feet. She swayed from side to side, trying to get her balance. She fell back into the tree, pressing her hand against her throbbing head.

She began to whine, "Momma. Daddy."

"She's really hurt." Damon's heart began to feel heavy. He needed her to bounce back and fast.

"I need to see about my baby!" Bonnie snapped.

"She'll be fine, Bonnie. Walk it off, Natasha!" he shouted.

Damon folded his arm around Bonnie's shoulders, her back to his front. He had to comfort her and be a tough father, too.

Natasha grew angry, hearing that her dad wouldn't let her mother come see about her. She eased off of the tree, feeling quite put out with Bonnie and Damon.

She physically felt better now. Nothing hurt on her currently but her ego and her pride. She had a good mind not to pick flowers for her mother at all as she angrily snatched blooms from the soil, grumbling. After getting what she wanted, she looked at her parents, still vexed.

She dragged herself back to Bonnie and Damon, the flowers hanging down by her side, her shoulders slumped.

"Aww, my baby," Bonnie went running to her, slightly crying.

Damon trailed slowly behind, looking ever so proud, and it warmed Natasha's heart a little to see him be so proud of her. Happiness began to return to Natasha as her blue eyes twinkled and a flash of white peered through her cinnamon lips.

She start walking faster. Her chestnut hair bounced lively from side to side as she made her way back to them.

"Here momma, for you." She handed the flowers to Bonnie, smiling.

"Awww, Nat, they're beautiful. Let's put them in some water." Bonnie was still lightly sobbing as she combed her child's hair with her fingers.

Natasha kissed her mother on the forehead and cheeks, sweeping hair behind her ears. "Don't cry momma. I'm okay."

"I know, baby. I just can't stand to see you get hurt. I just love you so damn much."

Damon softly laughed at the mushy scene playing out in front of him.

"I love you, momma." Natasha hugged her mom tightly around the neck, her eyes closed. Bonnie laughed cried. She was suddenly without words as she held on to the greatest thing that could've every happened to her in her arms. For a fleeting moment, she hated herself for ever having considered giving up her baby.

"Where are my flowers, Nat?" Damon asked

"Boys can't have flowers," Natasha sassed. She was still hanging on to a little resentment for her father.

"What do you mean I can't have flowers? I love flowers."

"I'll draw you a picture of a flower, okay," she said condescendingly.

"I don't want a picture of a damn flower. I want a real flower from my kid."

"Why didn't you come for me?" she pouted, folding her arms, and sticking out her bottom lip.

Damon was taking aback by her remark. He looked at Bonnie, pointing at Natasha, "Can you believe this kid?"

"That's our daughter." Bonnie laughed.

Damon crouched down in front of her, rubbing her mocha fat cheeks softly with his thumb. "I'm sorry I didn't baby you, Natasha, but I did it for your own good."

"How was knocking myself out good?" She roughly crossed her arms.

"Well, you got back up, didn't you? You're okay. You're still alive. It's the same thing that happened to you in the woods, right?"

Natasha looked down at the ground, digesting his words. Hitting that tree was nothing like what she had experienced in the woods, but like with both experiences, she got back up. Miraculously, she wasn't so angry or afraid anymore.

"I'm ready to go back into the woods, but only if you and mommy go with me."

Bonnie and Damon looked at each other and grinned.

"Wow, Damon. That was deep. Did those words of wisdom really come from you?" Melissa asked and then chuckled. Tyler followed.

"Yeah, they came from me. Someone's rubbing off on me." He took Bonnie by the hand, still down on his knees, and smiled up at her. She returned his affectionate gaze.

"Beautiful flowers, Bonnie," said Melissa.

"Natasha didn't pick any flowers for me. She says boys can't have flowers," Damon pouted.

"Yeah, flowers are for girls," Tyler added.

"Whatever." Damon playfully rolled his eyes.

"Natasha's my buddy. We agree on everything. Isn't that right?"

"Yes!"

"Who's your favorite buddy?" Tyler held his hand up for a high five, but surprisingly, Natasha went to Damon, leaping into his arms.

"There's only one guy for me, my daddy."

"Aww, that's my girl."

.o .O. o.

Stefan exited the bathroom, towel wrapped around his waist, his skin still dripping wet from the shower.

"Lucy," he said in a singsong voice. "You're not dressed. We promised to take Zinnia and Tupac to the mall today, remember?"

Lucy was sitting on the bed, her ankles crossed, and her eyes staring a hole in the floor, reminiscing. She looked up at Stefan and smiled after hearing his voice, forcing herself to be livelier.

"Look who's talking." She slowly stood. "You're all wet. You're shoulders and chest, so, so," she moved her hands all about as she gestured and lusted over his physique, "Look at you. You beautiful, sexy boy."

_He's seventeen? Hayden's thirty-six. _Lucy outwardly scowled.

Stefan smiled, flashing her that romantic look.

"Just put some clothes on and cover all of that up." Lucy walked to the closet, looking for something to wear.

Stefan went to his dresser, pulling out underwear, t-shirt, and a pair of jeans. He grinned over at Lucy when thoughts of his niece, his new nephew or niece on the way, and the verdant fruit that he had eaten drifted into his head.

Bonnie and Damon having children and being married made him think about family life and had him feeling all paternal.

He absentmindedly put on his clothes as he watched Lucy slip into her skin tight jeans and cold shoulder shirt.

Lucy walked over to the bed, sliding on her shoes. She was sexy. Stefan couldn't take his eyes off of her. More importantly, she was a woman. He felt that she would be the perfect person to start a family with as she was mature and with her age he thought she'd want to start a family right away.

He walked over to the bed, sitting down beside her, "I ate some of the verdant fruit."

"Oh, yeah."

"Yeah, and I was thinking that maybe we could start a family in the near future. We can buy a beautiful home right outside of Mystic Falls with a picket fence and settle down."

Lucy stopped in the middle of what she was doing, an unbelieving look on her face. She slowly rose, giving Stefan a skeptical guise. "Mm, a big house. A picket fence. Two kids. Maybe a dog or a cat, and we make Mystic Falls our home?" She looked dubiously at him.

Stefan grimaced. Hearing Lucy say the same thing as him didn't sound so appealing when she said it. He snickered, embarrassed, "I thought you might not want kids. I got those kind of vibes from you, but I assumed that you would change your mind, seeing how happy Bonnie and Damon are with Natasha."

"I thought you wanted to live in New York, sit outside on the balcony, drink wine, and watch the world go by?"

"I did. Well, I do. I mean, I don't mind that life at all, but seeing Damon, Bonnie, and Natasha be so happy, reminds me of the life I wanted and still want."

"The life you want is a beautiful one, Stefan, and maybe one day, I'll want the same thing, but now, I simply want to enjoy my carefree life and not have to worry about anyone else."

"You're getting older Lucy. What if you wait too late?"

She bulged her eyes, annoyed. "Women are having kids at fifty, Stefan. I think I'll manage," she said with an attitude.

Stefan watched her for a bit. Suddenly he felt like a total dick, "Lucy, I'm sorry. That came out all wrong. Please, don't be mad. All I meant is that I want you to be around to enjoy and be there for our children as long as possible."

She sighed deeply, turning around to face him, "I'm not mad, but you hurt my feelings a little bit." She halted. "Look, I'm being too sensitive."

"…and I was being too insensitive. I'm sorry. Will you accept my apology?" he asked in a seductive voice as he prowled over to her, taking her into his arms. He grabbed her ass and slightly rocked his semi hardness against her.

Lucy linked her hands behind his neck, resting her forehead against his. "I promised that I wouldn't have sex with you while we date and get to know each other. Why do we keep ending up in the bed together?"

"Mm, that's because Stella got her groove back." He hummed.

"Mhm." She tittered.

With those words, Lucy was undressing Stefan, and he was undressing her, and back in the bed they went.

Lucy gazed sadly up at the ceiling as Stefan fucked her bottom into the mattress. She soon closed her eyes, opened her legs wider, and put her mind back on the here and now, and on _**him. **__He's more than my bed buddy, right?_

* * *

_**A/N:** Cont'd…_

_I hope to update the continuation later tonight, or early in the morning. _

_XOXOXO_


	29. Chapter 29: The Engagement Part II

**A/N: **I hope you enjoy part II. It's a little livelier. It was one big chapter but I thought it best that I split it into two parts.

Me too, babekitt. ;)

Have a great Christmas. I love the prompts! Keep them coming.

**Oblivion Chapter 29: The Engagement Part II**

Caroline looked thoroughly over her checklist, marking off everything that no longer needed her attention. _Caters, check. Florist, check. Bridal shop, check._ After double checking her list, finding that everything was in order, she ran to the door, seeing if Enzo had made it back from the grocery store. He volunteered to go to the market to pick up some things she needed for Bonnie's and Damon's wedding rehearsal that was five days away.

She then went back to the kitchen table, pulling up another set of reminders on her iPad. She looked over the things listed, seeing that Bonnie still didn't have a ring, "Bonnie's engagement ring. Shit!"

Caroline took her phone out of her purse and dialed Damon. He answered on the first ring, "Yes, vampire Barbie," he greeted disinterestedly.

"Did you get Bonnie's engagement ring?" Caroline questioned rudely.

Damon's jaw dropped; his eyes enlarged. Fuck, he mouthed. "Uhhh," he spluttered.

"Oh, my god! I can't believe you still haven't bought her an engagement ring. What the hell is wrong with you? How could you do this to me?"

Damon pulled the phone away from his ear, rolling his eyes as he listened to Caroline yell at him. He listened to her for a few seconds more before hanging up on her.

"Ugh! That fucker hung up on me!" Caroline called him back. He didn't answer. She called him seven more times and still he refused to answer her calls. She then sent him a heated text, letting him know that she was coming by the boarding house, to spill the beans, unless- he went with her to the jewelers to buy Bonnie a ring.

Damon rolled his eyes in response to her message and then hurried out to the patio with the others. He shoved his phone into Stefan's face, letting him see Caroline's text.

Stefan grinned, somewhat shaking his head, "Okay, and what do you want me to do about it?"

"You're coming with me, that's what you can do about it," Damon spat.

"He's coming with you where?" Bonnie cocked her brow curiously at them.

"Enzo invited me over for drinks. It's nothing." He lied, and he hated it. He quickly made peace with himself once remembering his lie was for a good cause.

"Oh, okay. Have fun." Bonnie smiled.

Back at Caroline's place, Enzo finally made it back.

"The vampire stud is here!" he shouted.

"Did you get everything on my list?" Caroline asked, forgetting her manners, and a warm welcome for her guy.

"I'm fine, Caroline, and you're welcome. I'd do anything to help you out and make life a little easier for you," he said, teasing as he placed the groceries down on the kitchen counter.

"I'm sorry, Enzo. It's just that this wedding has me all stressed out, and to make matters worse, Damon still hasn't gotten Bonnie an engagement ring."

"I'm pretty sure he'll get her a ring once he finds the time between raising his little girl and entertaining guest."

"It's six days before the wedding, Enzo. What if the ring doesn't fit right, and he has to get it sized? What if Bonnie doesn't like the ring he gives her?"

"The ring can always be resized after the wedding. I'm sure Damon knows Bonnie well enough to distinguish between what she does and doesn't like. Stop worrying yourself, okay?"

Caroline folded her arms, pouting. Damon not buying the ring had put everything in her life out of balance. She liked things to be right and in there proper place.

"You are, such, an adorable control freak."

"I'm not a control freak. I just like things the way that I like them," she said defensively.

Enzo grabbed her hands, unfolding her arms. He enveloped her, cradling her head against his shoulder as he rubbed her hair. Caroline didn't know how to process his reaction to her rudeness at first, but she soon begin to relax in his grasp. She wrapped her arms around him, closing her eyes, as her lips furled slightly into her cheek.

"I needed this." She sighed with pleasure.

"You need a good stiff drink, too," he replied. Caroline let out a soft chuckle.

"Let's go for a ride. You need to clear your head. Things will go a lot smoother with a clearer head."

"Ugh, I so want to do that, but I need to make sure Damon gets Bonnie's engagement ring. I won't be able to concentrate on anything else until this wedding is over with."

Enzo lost his smile, "Okay, you go and make sure that Damon gets her ring. Call me once you get home, yeah? Maybe we can go dancing and have a few drinks after you're done," he mentioned, hoping that this would pique her interest as she was supposed to like and want to spend time with him more than she cared about what Damon did or didn't do for Bonnie.

"Ugh, I wish, but there's still so much to do." She laughed, but not Enzo. He was hoping that she would finally make some time for him, them. They were still in the early stages of their relationship but it seemed like they were moving backwards.

"Is it okay if I call you tomorrow morning?" Caroline asked timidly after seeing the disappointed look on his face.

"Tomorrow then," he said and then kissed her on the cheek.

They smiled at each other for a second and then Enzo left. He stood outside of her door for a few moments, feeling like crap for being rejected once again.

Enzo marched off the porch, marching off to his car. Caroline watched him through the window, hoping that he would look back to see her waving goodbye. Enzo being so uncaring in this instant surprised her as she was always the center of attention.

Caroline soon felt the way she had made Enzo feel, rebuffed. He didn't look back at the house to see her goodbye, not even once, not even a glance. "Bye, Enzo," she whispered sadly.

.o .O. o.

Caroline drove like a bat out of hell to do jewelry store. She was still upset about how things went down with her and Enzo.

Stefan watched her with concern. He couldn't understand why she was so angry. Damon sat in the backseat, texting Stefan like crazy, asking why Caroline was driving like a bat out of hell.

What the hell is wrong with your friend? Shouldn't she be yelling at us?

_I don't know Damon. Why don't you ask her? Stefan texted back. _

You ask her. I'm scared.

_Will you stop texting me._

Why?

_GTFOH!_

What's that mean? Damon peered at his phone, awaiting an answer.

_GFY! _

What's GFY?

_JC! WTF! PO! Ugh!_

Ok, I know, WTF, but what do the other random letters mean?

"It's going to be a long day," Stefan mumbled.

What happened? Why are you ready for the day to be over with? Damon messaged.

"Kill me now, God!" Stefan blurted out. He snatched his gaze over to Caroline, hoping she was still too zoned out to pay him any attention, and as luck would have it, she was.

They finally made it to the store. Caroline jumped out of the car, slamming her door shut.

Stefan and Damon looked at each other like two frighten little boys after exiting the car.

"Come on!" she yelled, and they scurried inside, avoiding eye contact with her as she held the door open for them.

Damon and Stefan went straight to the counter. They were at one counter looking at rings and Caroline was at another.

"Is she looking for Bonnie a ring, too?" Damon asked, peeved.

Stefan looked mysteriously over at Caroline and then back at Damon.

"Yup, she's looking at rings, too."

"I hope she doesn't think she's picking out Bonnie's engagement ring. That's where I draw the line."

"I'm sure she's not going to tell you what type of ring to buy Bonnie, Damon."

"Are you kidding me right now, Stefan? You do realize she's a control freak, right?"

"She's not that controlling, Damon."

"Damon, this is the ring you're getting for, Bonnie," said Caroline, interrupting their conversation, as she held up a round, brilliant white diamond, encircled by a row of pink and white ones with a diamond band.

Damon and Stefan slowly turned their gaze to each other. Stefan speechless, and Damon glowering. He absolutely loved the ring, but he wanted to give Bonnie a ring that looked like it was from him.

"Whoa! That's a huge rock. Nice, Caroline," Stefan flattered.

"Thanks," she answered proudly.

"I'm not buying that ring for, Bonnie, _Caroline_," he drawled.

"This is what Bonnie likes, _Damon_." She mimicked.

"Great! I'm glad that you know her so well, but I love her, and I want the ring that she wears for all of eternity to be something I picked out for her. It's bad enough that we didn't get to choose our own betrothal bracelets, but I'm glad to say it's a mistake that I don't have to make, again."

"Oh, so now you care about the kind of ring you want to get for, Bonnie? If it weren't for me, you wouldn't even be here today picking out a ring for her," she huffed and then marched off.

With those words, Damon had come undone. "Hey! Hey!" he yelled angrily, drawing the attention of the other customers.

"Come on, Damon. Just let it go," Stefan begged.

"What's your problem, blondie?"

"You're my problem, lover boy. You claim to love Bonnie, but you're not putting her first."

"I am putting her first, and maybe you…should stop worrying about our love life and start focusing on your own nonexistent love life."

"Ugh!" she loudly gasps. "You…you…you," Caroline didn't know what to say, suddenly her own words came back to bite her in the ass. She was so consumed with what Bonnie and Damon were doing and their wedding that she had forgotten all about her own life and doing the things that made her happy.

Enzo crossed her mind in this heated moment. She handed the ring back to the sales person and tramped out of the store, all eyes in the room on her.

"You better not leave us!" Damon shouted.

"Great. She's going to leave us," Stefan said, annoyed.

"No she's not. She just needs to cool off. Now come on, let's look at these rings," Damon said.

While Stefan and Damon looked at rings, Caroline was calling Enzo. She was so happy when he picked up on the first ring.

"Hey, love," he answered in a cheery voice.

Caroline start crying.

"Caroline, what's wrong?" Enzo hurriedly stood up, ready to go to war over his girl.

"You didn't turn around. You didn't look back at me."

"What?" he questioned, his brow furrowed.

"Why did you keep walking today when you left my house? I wanted to wave you off, and you didn't look back?"

"Oh, that." He fell silent, contemplating on what to say.

"I was angry. I didn't want you to know. I want to respect you and your decisions, but I'm not doing that if I get angry with you for not doing things my way. I apologize for hurting you, and I do still like you, very much."

"You do?"

"Yes."

Caroline giggled, "Fuck it. Come get me. They can drive my car home. Damon knows how to pick out a damn ring."

"Well I should hope so. He's old enough to," Enzo joked. She let out a hearty laugh.

Back inside, Damon had picked out the perfect engagement ring as well as their wedding bands. The engagement ring sparkled all over, just like Bonnie.

"What do you think, Stefan? Do you like it?"

"I love it, Damon, but it's not me you have to impress."

"No, it's not you I have to impress, but it feels so good to be here doing one of the most important things in my life with one of the most important people in my life." Damon gave Stefan the most endearing look. A radiant grin covered Stefan's face.

"I've always wanted this for you, Damon."

"I know, but I hate that I get to experience this before you. You deserve the big house, picket fence, two and a half kids, too."

Stefan laughed at hearing those words, again.

"What's funny?" Damon asked seriously.

"Something tells me I won't be getting that particular fairy-tale anytime soon," Stefan replied, but oddly, he wasn't sad.

Damon put his hand on Stefan's shoulder, comforting him. "Maybe you don't get to have that life right now, but we have forever, and when that moment comes, I'll be there."

"You better be, or I'm going to make your life a living hell for all eternity," Stefan teased and Damon tilted his head back with laughter.

Stefan answered the vibrating phone in his pocket. He read over the message and then loudly cackled. "Caroline said to kiss her ass and that her spare key is under the right fender."

"Thank god! She's getting herself a life- hopefully." They chuckled.

.o .O. o.

Lucy could no longer ignore the nagging in her head about Shing's friend who was still in Mystic Falls. Although Hayden had told her that Luna's accomplice was dead, that didn't seem to be good enough for her.

She found herself in front of Hayden's house, wondering why she couldn't just pick up the phone and ask him all these questions. Ever since he had come back into her life, she couldn't fight this strange impulse to be in his orbit, to see him, and to hear his voice.

She got out of the car and walked slowly to the door, hoping that someone would call her, talk some sense into her, but it never happened.

She rang the doorbell.

"Come in!" Hayden shouted.

She slowly opened the door, peeping inside. She found it weird that Hayden's house wasn't completely locked down, seeing that it was the middle of the night. Lucy made her way to the living room. Her eyes widened at spotting Hayden sitting down in front of his coffee table, which was topped with blood bags, booze, what looked to be blood-sicles, and strawberry Jell-O.

"What the hell are you doing, Hayden?"

He sat in silence for a moment before speaking, "I haven't had human blood, much less live human blood in over three-hundred years. Can you imagine what that does to someone like me?" he said, astounded.

"Oh, is that why you're adding blood to all of your favorite human snacks, so you can continue being delusional?" She smirked.

Hayden shock his head and sniggered at her remark, "I can always count on you for a quick comeback."

"Seriously though, Hayden. Are you okay? Are you okay with accepting who you are?"

"I like my vampire gifts, but I've denied myself of being a vampire for so long, that I'm going to have to train myself to be one all over again."

"It's like riding a bike. You never forget."

"I haven't forgotten how to heal people that's for sure."

They twittered.

"What brings you by, Lucy?"

"The other night, I was so concerned about my feelings that I forgot about what's really important like this man you said you saw. I have a lot of unanswered questions. What does he look like? Where was he living, and are you sure that he's dead?"

Hayden noticed the extremely worried look on Lucy's face. He had to give her reassurance. He suddenly began to regret not sticking around until her unknown foe was fully dead.

"Don't worry, Lucy. I'm positive that the young man didn't have much longer in this world. He's long expired by now."

"If he's dead, then why hasn't that woman come back here to mooch off of you?"

"I kicked her out, remember?"

"Ugh, I just wish there was some way we could know for sure."

"Trust me. He's dead."

"I do trust you, but everything in my life is filled with so much uncertainty that I just need a guarantee about one thing." She plopped back into the chair, staring out into space.

Hayden couldn't take his eyes off her shinny auburn hair and her perfect tawny skin. His eyes wandered over her curvy legs. He missed everything about her. Even the fragrance of her skin that seemed to be more blissful now that he had her blood.

"If it makes you feel any better, I'll go by the house and check things out."

"I'm coming with you."

"No, you're not. I can't risk you being hurt. Your friend Stefan might kill me if anything happened to you. I'll go- _alone_, and I'll be sure to get back to you with my findings."

"Okay, but be sure to call me as soon as you get there."

He nodded.

"Thanks, Hayden." She smiled.

He returned her polite gesture and then went back to curiously watching her. He wondered why she hadn't left. All of her questions had now been answered. There was nothing more he could say or do for her. He perked up a little as he observed her sit her purse down on the floor and relax back into his big, comfy chair.

"Stefan wants to start a family," she said from out of nowhere.

"You? Kids?" He snorted, "Isn't he a vampire?"

"Ugh, I know, right, and yes, but because of some strange ungodly looking fruit from another world, he and his brother can procreate."

"What? No way!"

"Yes, that's exactly how my witch cousin and her vampire husband got pregnant, not once, but twice."

"Wow!" He was flabbergasted. "Why would anyone want to breed blood suckers?" He turned up his lip, displeased. "Do you want to be with this Stefan, Lucy?"

She sat up in the chair, looking at him. "I really like, Stefan. He could be good for me."

"Well, stick with him, give having his children some serious thought."

"I can't Hayden. I'm used to living on the run. Children will only slow me down."

"Did you tell Stefan how you truly feel?"

"Well, yes. In a roundabout way."

"Was he okay with your answer?"

"Yes, and then we ended up in bed."

"Ahh, and have you done that little thing you do to him that you always used to do to me?" he winked.

"Heavens no, he'd never want to let me go if I did that." Lucy let out a boisterous laugh.

Hayden loudly cackled as he watched a jubilant Lucy. They both finally sobered a couple of minutes later.

"My have times changed. We were once inseparable and now we're sitting here talking about you and your current lover's sex life." Hayden shook his head, amused.

"Oh, sorry. How rude of me."

"No, no, you're okay. I want you to be happy, even if it's not with me."

Lucy gave him a stunned look, impressed with his selflessness, "Do you still love me?" she slightly wavered.

Hayden opened up one of the drawers to his coffee table, pulling out a familiar looking red, velvet ring box.

Lucy swallowed deeply, immediately remembering that box.

"You came to Mystic Falls to ask for my hand in marriage?" she stuttered.

"Yes. I came here to win you back, Lucy, but I've found that you've moved on and that you're happy, and that's a good thing, too."

He picked up his bottle of wine, poured some into his already half full glass, topping it off, and then handed it to Lucy. She stared at him, waiting for his next move. Hayden turned the bottle of wine up to his lips, drinking.

"I thought you wanted to make a toast?" she inquired, her brow creased.

"God no! I need to get drunk. It's been a pretty shitty day," he said.

Lucy lightly tittered and then took a sip of her wine. As soon as she tasted it, she spit it out. "Oh god, was that blood in that glass, too?"

Hayden looked at the glass, remembering, "Oops, I was drinking blood from the glass and drinking wine from the bottle." He fell over on the floor, splitting his sides with hilarity. She soon did the same while sitting in the chair. Lucy couldn't remember a time that she had laughed so hard.

They finally gained their composure. Hayden climbed back onto the sofa, grinning over at Lucy. He made himself comfortable in the corner of the couch, still watching her as she watched him. She then grabbed his hand, clutching it tightly.

"Would you like a popsicle or some Jell-O?" he kidded.

"No, and that's very weird. Why would you want to suck on frozen gore?"

"Aw hell. I was drunk- and bored."

They laughed and then fell silent, focusing on the thoughts that were rolling around in their heads.

"I'm not ready for you to be just a part of my past, Hayden, but I'm not ready to be exclusive with you either," she said interrupting their quiet moment.

"All we can do is take it one day at a time, see what happens. It's whatever you want, Lucy."

Hayden took her hand and pressed it against his face as he closed his eyes. Lucy caressed his face and then ran her digits over his pouty lips. Black veins began to swim across his cheeks. He slowly extended his incisors, biting into her finger.

"Uh," Lucy lamented.

"I just can't get enough of you," he whispered. Lucy conceitedly smiled at hearing those words escape his lips.

.o .O. o.

Damon and Bonnie got a chance to spend some time unaccompanied at the house with Natasha. Tyler hadn't been home in a long time and wanted to spend the night at his place to check on things. He invited Zinnia and Tupac to tag along. They agreed because they wanted to give Bonnie and Damon some time alone with Natasha and a chance to enjoy their home without all the company.

Stefan decided to stay at home with Bonnie and Damon. He remained upstairs, in his room, and out of the way of the family of three, reading his favorite book as he sipped on a glass of bourbon.

Bonnie, Natasha, and Damon sat around the kitchen table for a nice dinner of takeout pizza and a salad. They played board games and watched two movies together after eating. Surprisingly Natasha went to sleep on the couch, sitting sandwiched between Bonnie and Damon during the movie. Relaxing comfortably between her parents was the most protected and relaxed that she had felt all day.

Bonnie and Damon put her in bed once she was sound asleep. They left on the closet and bathroom lights, and cracked the doors just the way Natasha liked.

Lucy crept into the house. She eagle-eyed Bonnie and Damon sitting all cozy on the couch in the candle lit living room. She hurried upstairs, hoping to find Stefan still up.

She entered the room, smiling once spotting him sitting and reading in his chair, looking content.

"Hey. Where've you been?" he asked.

"I went by, Hayden's."

Stefan lost his smile. He closed his book with one hand, laid it down on his bedside table, and then tried to stand.

"No, no, sit down."

"Oh, boy," Stefan said. He had an eerie feeling of what was coming next. Butterflies began to flutter about in his stomach. He thought he'd found the perfect partner in Lucy. He had found contentment with her. She was a good woman, loyal, and great in the sack. He needed someone like that in his life.

Lucy sat down on the bed in front of him, uneasy.

"Sooo, we've come to the, 'It's not you it's me speech," he joked, trying to hide the dull agony that was twisting and knotting up in his abdomen like acid.

Lucy laughed nervously. "You're a good man, Stefan."

"…and you're a good woman, Lucy."

"I'm not ending things with you to run straight into his arms."

Stefan felt himself zoning out. He couldn't believe Lucy didn't even try to beat around the bush about breaking up with him. She just jumped right in, not holding any punches.

First, the love of his life had dumped him indirectly, and now a woman that he didn't have a strong connections to, nor was he madly in love with- just yet, was dumping him right out.

Stefan soon came back to reality. What Lucy was telling him was important- after all.

"I want to give myself some time, to see what's right for me. With you, it's the whole big house and picket fence lifestyle. I don't do picket fences, I just can't, Stefan. With Hayden, it's his unwillingness to love and accept what he is, and I need a man that's comfortable in his own skin and who's honest with himself." She paused.

"I hope we can still be friends?" she asked cautiously.

Stefan simply looked at her, slightly nodding, his eyes glazed over. _I'd be willing to travel the world with you and stay by your side until you past away from this life. We don't have to have kids, just don't dump me. I'm a cool guy. _He rattled off in his head.

"Sure, sure." He nodded quickly, "We can be friends, and you don't even have to leave. You can stay here. Bonnie, would be sad to see you go." He put on his best poker face, pretending Bonnie was the one who was sad to see her go. He wanted to at least keep his dignity.

"No, staying here will only complicate things. I spoke with Tyler before coming home. He said that there was plenty of room at his house for me and Cassie."

"Oh, okay. Well, if you change your mind, you're always welcome here."

"Thank you." She was truly grateful.

Things soon got awkward between them. Lucy seem to be all out of words, and Stefan respected her decision and wasn't willing to bully her into a relationship that she wasn't sure about.

"I guess I better go." She stood. He followed.

"Do you need help with your things?" he asked.

"I actually have a change of clothes in my car. I'll come by tomorrow for the rest of my things. If that's okay?"

"Sure."

They eyed each other for a moment longer, smiling.

Lucy began to feel completely guilty and foolish for doing this to Stefan. He was a good man after all, and they had the most amazing sex. He was handsome, fun, compassionate, and wise. He had all the qualities that she wanted in a man.

She knew breaking up with him would be hard, but she had no idea it would hurt this much. She had sworn that she would never feel or be this devastated over another man after Hayden, but here she was, feeling like she had just ripped out her own heart.

"Can I have one last kiss?" she asked. Lucy wanted to at least savage a friendship out of their breakup, to leave on a good note because she still wasn't sure if leaving Stefan was a good decision. She was somewhat regretting it already.

Stefan took her face into his hands and slowly leaned into her. Lucy closed her eyes, tilting her head, readying herself to receive him. He pressed his lips into hers. She softly pushed and pulled her lips in and away from his, kissing him sensually.

They slowly pulled away from each other, their eyes closed.

"Fly away little bird," he whispered, his forehead to hers.

"Sometimes the bird comes back," she replied.

"Most often they don't." His face was serious. He was all out of optimism.

"Nothing's impossible." She looked him square in the eye, willing him to hold on to the one thing that kept him going, hope.

"What if the cage door is closed?"

Lucy fell quiet, her mouth opened and closed. She was tongue-tied. Fear began to settle over her as she tried to decipher the meaning of his words. Was he telling her that she couldn't come back? Was he telling her that he was moving on with someone else?

She blinked, "If the little bird comes back, and the cage is closed, I guess it wasn't meant to be," she said, saving face.

Stefan dawdled the pads of his thumbs across her checks before giving her one last kiss. He really wanted to push Lucy out the door. He wanted to trash his room or go crash his car into a tree because he had failed, yet again, at having a solid relationship, but he fought against his destructive urges, and decided to be classy Stefan instead. He was nothing if not a real man, a selfless man.

"Come on, walk me to my car." She took him by the hand. They slowly walked out of the room and sluggishly descended from the stairs.

In the living room, Damon was preparing himself to make his big move.

"A lot of huge moments have happened in front of this mantel," said Damon as he looked attentively at the fireplace.

"Mm, like what?" she inquired.

"Kisses. Breakups. Makeups. Love declarations. Shit that shouldn't have happened, basically." He halted, grinning.

"Ah, yes. I can think of one moment that I had in front of that mantel, and now it makes me want to look away from that mantel." Bonnie cackled as she recalled kissing Jeremy in front of said fireplace.

Damon hooted, too, when he remembered Elena telling him that she loved him as well in front of that fireplace.

"Why don't we forget those horrible memories, and make new memories that won't make us want to barf when we look at the fireplace?" He looked seriously at her.

Bonnie had a pleasant notion that he wasn't talking about sex, but she wondered what else could happen under the mantel that wouldn't be as spectacular as making love, sharing a romantic dance, or being locked in a passionate kiss. "I'm game." She gave him her dazzling smile as she was anxious to see what it was.

Damon looked at the fireplace and turned up his nose, "Ew, it's all cold and dark down there."

"Uh, oh, oh, okay," said Bonnie, thwarted.

"What is that down there?" He questioned, his face twisted all up, repulsed.

He zoomed to the fireplace, vamp sped Bonnie's ring from out of his pocket, and then began feeling around over the flooring. "What the hell is this, Bonnie?" He was still sickened by the sight of the imaginary object.

"What is it?" Bonnie asked, troubled as she hurried over to the all important thing on the floor.

"What the hell is this, Bonnie?" Damon slowly reached his hand up to her, holding up the engagement ring as he remained on bended knee, squinting his eyes at the all-important thing, the invitation for Bonnie to be his better half.

Bonnie took in a sharp intake of air, grabbing her cheeks once seeing the ring, shocked.

"I don't know what this thing is, Damon, but it looks really lethal. Everyone will probably be safer with it on my finger," she said, grabbing for the ring.

"Un, un, un, you have to say the magic word."

Bonnie tilted her head back, belting out a hearty laugh.

"Just give me the damn ring."

"Bonnie Bennett-Salvatore that is not the damn password. Now let me give you a clue."

"Bonnie Sheila Bennett, will you do me the honors, of becoming my wife, again, here on planet Earth, Earth, Earth, Earth, Earth," he chanted, his voice getting quieter with each word.

Bonnie's eyes filled with tears. A laugh cry initiated, "Yes. I would love nothing more than to marry the man I love, again, here on Planet Earth." Her voice was wobbly as she wrangled for the right words.

"That my dear, is the correct password." He slipped on the five carat, princess-cut diamond platinum ring with a diamond bead-set band.

Diamond traced his thumb over her engagement ring, her hand, and over the jewels of her betrothal bracelet. He was wonderstruck over the fact that he and Bonnie would now be connected through time and space.

Bonnie melted, "It's so huge and beautiful."

"Umph, you said the same thing recently about a certain part of my anatomy."

"Oh, shut up and give me a kiss."

Damon jumped to his feet, lifting Bonnie up into the air. She wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a soft sensual kiss on his lips that quickly became more passionate and deeper as they continued.

Stefan and Lucy looked at the happy couple in awe and then at each other.

"I better go," said Lucy.

"Uh, yeah," Stefan replied.

After hearing Bonnie's and Damon's very happy news, Stefan and Lucy really felt down in the dumps.

Stefan walked her to her car. He opened the door for her. Lucy climbed inside and then rolled down the window, "I'll come by tomorrow around ten for my things. I'll tell Bonnie everything."

"Do you want me to be gone?" Stefan asked and then laughed as if her comment were outrageous.

"It's not like that, Stefan."

"How else do you want me to take it, Lucy?"

"Stefan, let's not do this. You said we could be friends."

Stefan tapped his fingers against the roof of her car, a scowl on his face. He exhaled, forcing himself to act better, "You're right. Sorry."

"That's okay. Goodnight, Stefan. I'll call you as soon as I get there."

He nodded. Lucy rolled up the window and then slowly drove off. He watched her tail lights until he couldn't see them anymore.

Lucy looked at him through her rearview mirror, tears began to stream down her cheeks.

Stefan went back inside once Lucy was gone entirely, expecting to see Bonnie and Damon in the living room. He entered an empty living room instead, and the patio doors were wide open.

He flashed to the exit, seeing if Bonnie and Damon were on the square. He wanted to congratulate them on their engagement. He stepped outside, not seeing them. Unexpectedly he heard moaning and sex noises in the distance. Stefan grew sad at hearing them making love because it reminded him of what he would no longer be doing, having the greatest sex of his life with a very hot witch.

He went back inside and walked languidly over to the bar and poured himself a stiff one. He gulped the amber liquid down, then another, and another, and another one.

He looked at the dark fireplace and began to see good and bad memories of him and Elena and then he saw the one thing that he never wanted to see, again, Elena telling Damon that she was in love with him. Stefan hurled the glass into the fireplace and then ran upstairs. He angrily paced his floor, feeling angry with himself for having been in another disastrous relationship.

His angry pacing soon turned into full on rage as he began raking things off his dresser. He swatted pictures off the wall, lamps off night side tables, and kicked over his chest. He just needed to feel better. He needed to vent.

After destroying his room, he sat down on the bed, his hands between his legs. He looked around at the mess he had made and then chuckled.

Stefan whipped his phone out of his pocket after hearing it ring.

"Hello, Melissa," he answered sadly.

"Lucy's here. Why didn't you come? We're having a party?"

"A party? For who?"

"Zinnia and Tupac. They love to party," she answered and then laughed.

"I'm not in the mood to party, Melissa."

"Why?" She raised her brow, curious.

"Lucy, broke up with me."

"Ah man. I'm sorry, Stefan."

"Why are you sorry? You didn't break up with me," he replied crassly.

"Because I don't want you to feel sad." She ignored his tactless comment.

"Thanks." He forced out a smile.

"What happened? Why did she break up with you?"

"She said that she needed some time to sort out her feelings for me and Hayden. This morning I asked her if she wanted to start a family. I think I spooked her off."

"She was really in love with, Hayden. I never met the guy. She talked about him a lot, and I didn't know you wanted a family. You'd make a great father, Stefan."

"I think she's still in love with him, too, and you think I'd make a great father?"

"Of course, you'd make a great dad, and maybe she still loves him, but it doesn't mean that you two won't get back together. Lucy's a pretty practical girl. She doesn't let her heart make decisions for her. She'll choose the right guy, and that guy is you, Stefan."

"Yeah, maybe. Who knows?"

"You know what they say. If you love something, set it free. If it doesn't come back to you, hunt it down and kill it," she joked.

Stefan laughed, "I don't think that's the saying, Melissa. Besides, I don't think I'll ever date again. It's too hard."

"Oh, Stefan, stop whining and get your ass over here. You're going to love, again, and you will be happy."

"Hey, I just got dumped. I think I have the right to feel sad and have a little man pain."

"No, what you need to do is get your ass over here and show Lucy what she's missing."

"I'm not into bullying someone to be with me, that's my brother. If she says she needs time to decide, then that's what I'm going give her, time and space."

Melissa lit up inside at hearing Stefan be the perfect gentleman, "Awww, that's so sweet of you. Something tells me she's going to regret dumping you."

"Wow, do you have to say it like that?"

"You said she dumped you!"

"Yeah, me and my big mouth." He laughed.

She laughed, too.

They went silent, both thinking about what happened. Stefan then felt like hanging up. He wanted to be alone, feel sorry for himself.

"Hey, I better go. I need some time to think."

"Ok, Stefan. I'm here for you if you need me. You shouldn't be alone right now, but I completely understand why you would want to be."

"Thanks, Melissa. You're sweet, you know that?"

"Yeah, I've heard that, but it's nice to hear it again." She softly chortled.

"Goodnight," said Stefan.

"Goodnight." She hung up.

Stefan looked out into his room, a glazed over look in his eyes.

"Hunt it down and kill it." He laughed.

Stefan set on the side of the bed, still smiling about his conversation with Melissa. She had said that he'd make a good father. Those words kept echoing in his head. Natasha then entered his mind. She had only been a big girl for two days now, and all he had done for her was make her pancakes and asked her if she wanted more pancakes. Abruptly he began to feel like he wouldn't make a good father, because he was starting off as a really bad uncle.

While at the mall with Lucy and the others, he bought Natasha a stuffed animal, a purple frilly diary decorated with the initial of her first name, and a matching pen.

When he got home, he put the gifts away, and left the house, again, to hang out with the adults. He knew that his niece was feeling under the weather because he was there when Damon had gotten onto Tyler for being a bad babysitter. Damon had also gotten onto him, for not thinking enough about his niece's welfare.

Stefan's feelings about what his niece had gone through drove him to be proactive and do something about it. He went to the closet, kicking books and glass out of the way as he walked. "I better clean this mess up before Lucy comes back for her things," he murmured as he reached down into the bag and took out her diary and stuffed animal.

After he collected her gifts, he went to Natasha's room. He stopped straightaway at her door once hearing sniveling and mumbling inside. He questioned internally at who Natasha could be talking to because her parents were outside.

Stefan opened the door in a flash and turned on the light. He was ready for whatever he came across.

"Ahhh!" Natasha screamed and covered her head with the comforter.

"Natasha, sweetie it's me, Uncle Stefan." He walked over to the bed and fold down the covers. He looked down on his niece, who was panting, and her eyes were red and watery.

"Hey, are you okay?" Stefan sat down on the side of the bed, an extremely concerned look on his face.

Natasha's breathing began to abate as she wiped away some of her escaped tears. There was just something about Uncle Stefan's deep, smooth voice and pleasant face that relaxed her, "I'm okay."

"Well, you don't look like you're okay. You know that you can talk to me about anything at any time, right?"

"Yes," she agreed, introverted. She locked eyes with him for a bit and then looked down at the pink, pretty stuffed cheetah animal for a twinkling and then back up at Stefan, "Is that for me?"

"I don't know. It all depends."

"Depends on what?"

"Depends on if you tell me what's been bothering you."

"I can't."

"Why, Natasha?" he asked, practically begging her to confide in him.

"Because everyone will be mad at me for sneaking out of the house if they knew what happened."

"That's not true. We'd never be angry with you for doing what kids have done for centuries, explore." He smiled.

"If you knew what happened, you'd be very angry with me. I did a bad thing." She looked brokenheartedly down at her small hands and tighten her grasp on the bedding.

Stefan squinted his eyes, becoming more worried about his niece. He then thought for a moment, speculating over what he could do to make her confess the truth to him. As ideas rolled around in his head, the diary slipped off of his lap and down onto the floor. He reached down and grabbed it, instantly remembering how good he felt after writing down all of his fears, thoughts, encounters, and everything that had happened to him in his diary.

A clever grin crept across his face. He took Natasha's hand and rubbed it with the pad of his thumb.

"I think you do deserve this cheetah. Hi Natasha!" he said animatedly, hiding behind the toy.

She softly giggled and grabbed for the stuffed animal, "What's that?" She pointed at the diary.

"This, my sweet niece, is the more important of the two gifts. For as long as I can remember, I wrote about my feelings in a little book similar to this one. I wrote about my fears, my relationships, things that had happened to me. I wrote down…everything. Well, I decided to buy this book for you, and I think you should write down everything that happened to you in the woods. I feel confident that writing down what happened to you and your feelings about it will help you."

"You don't write anymore?"

"What do you mean?"

"You said it _was_\- your diary."

Stefan lowered his head, recalling the moment when he stopped writing in his memoir, "Something awful happened to me a little while back, and at that moment, I wanted to forget everything that included those particular individuals."

"Will you ever write, again?"

"Mmm." He mused. "If you write about what happened to you in the woods, I promise I'll start writing, again."

Natasha lay there, considering his offer, her eyes on her stuffed animal.

"I don't know how to write."

Stefan sped her a surprised look.

"You don't know how to write, but you're so mature for your age," he stated, astounded.

"I've only been a big kid for two days, Uncle Stefan. I can't do and think of everything."

"Uh, oh yeah, Sorry," he replied, humbled.

"That's okay."

"How old are you?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. How old do I look?"

"Mmm, you look like you're seven or eight."

"Okay, I'll be eight."

Stefan chuckled.

"…so, what do you say? Will you write about what happened to you in the woods?"

"I will, if you show me how. I'm a very fast learner," she answered in her small mousy voice.

Stefan sat back against the headboard. Natasha sat up in bed. He opened the book, and then penned her name, his, and the date in which he was giving her the diary. "Okay, now you try." He handed the book and pen off to her.

She slowly wrote the N and then the A and quickly did the rest. Stefan observed her very carefully, stunned and so proud of his little niece. Natasha then wrote the word, 'Yesterday.' She stopped and then looked up at her uncle.

He looked at her, wondering what she was waiting for, "You need my help?"

"No. I just need some time alone. I want to write down what happened to me, but I don't want you to see me writing it down."

"Okay, I can respect that. I'll give you some time alone. Call me when you're done." He smiled as he got to his feet. He put his hands on his hips, anticipating her response.

Natasha doodled her name, waiting for her uncle to leave. Stefan looked at her with a goofy grin on his face, hoping his niece would say something to let him know if what he did was a good thing.

Natasha was becoming more agitated with her uncle standing over her shoulder. She really wanted to free her mind of the horrible feelings swirling around in her head, but she couldn't do that while he was watching her.

"Uncle Stefan, you're bothering me." She looked up at him, scowling.

"Oh, okay. I'm sorry." He stood there for a few seconds more, an aggrieved expression, and then walked away.

Natasha glanced over at her pink, stuffed animal and immediately felt guilty for being so cold to her uncle.

"Uncle Stefan!"

"Yes." He hurriedly peeped his head through the door.

"Thank you for my wonderful gifts. I love you." She forced out a half smile.

"You're welcome, sweetie. I love you, too, and remember…you can talk to me about anything."

"Okay." Her smile was now a little bigger.

"Night, night, sweetie." Stefan smiled and watched her for a little while as she began to write in her journal, and for the first time in a long while, he felt like writing in his diary, again, too.

.o .O. o.

Luna sat by Kai's side for an entire week, nursing him back to life. He was healing nicely and had regained consciousness. He opened his eyes little by little, sighting the most beautiful creature in all the world standing by his dresser.

Luna was reading a book. What kind of book, Kai didn't know. All he knew was, is that some beautiful tan goddess with cold black hair was standing in his room. It had been years since he had seen a woman. He didn't know how to react at seeing one so glamorous.

Kai lusted over Luna for a little while before recalling how little he cared for any human being that wasn't him.

He tried to get out of bed. He had to kill this exquisite creature before she killed him. He wriggled on top of the bed, weakly. Luna finally noticed that he had come to.

"You're awake! Bless it be to all the gods!" she said excitedly.

"Bless it be…to all the gods? Who…who…who the fuck are you?" he strained.

Luna rested her warm hand on top of his chest, directing him back down to the mattress.

"I'm Luna. I have so much to share with you. Together we can defeat Bonnie. I can show you how to get her powers," she happily explained as she brushed his forehead with her fingers.

"You…you want to help me?" His brow crinkled.

"Yes." She answered happily.

Kai continued to look at her, blown away by her announcement. He pondered over her words for a few minutes and then evilly smiled, "Okay, gorgeous. You help me get what I want, and I might not kill you," he said sinisterly.

Luna frowned, but surprisingly she was aroused by his evil grin and boyish looks.

"Oh, I can promise you, you'll want to do a lot of things to me, but killing me won't be one of them."

Kai squinted his eyes, puzzled by her comment. He pulled the covers up to his chest, attempting to shield himself from her. She was tickled pink by his reaction to her words.

.o .O. o.

Natasha twitched and wiggled in bed for most of the night. Her nightmare had come back despite the fact that she had written down in great detail of what happened in the woods and how she felt about what occurred.

Bonnie too, had a very restless night. For the first time in months, many months, she was having a nightmare, a vision of some sort. Damon awoke from his sleep due to Bonnie's profuse squirming.

"Bonnie," he called.

"Guahh!" she sharply inhaled as she snatched herself away from the bed.

"Momma! Momma!" Natasha let out a deaf defying scream that pierced the very heart and soul of Bonnie's and Damon's emotions. Her loud shrieking could've woken the dead. "Momma! Daddy!" She continued to scream at the top of her lungs as she ran down the hallway, holding the stuffed animal that Stefan had given her.

Bonnie and Damon jumped out of bed, meeting her at the door.

"Natasha! Natasha! What is it baby? What is it baby?" Bonnie questioned hysterically, smoothing her daughter's hair to the back of her head.

Damon stooped down to them, taking Natasha by the waist as Bonnie cupped her face.

"I killed a man in the woods mommy. I didn't mean to. He was hurting me. I didn't know what to do. You and daddy weren't there to protect me. I'm sorry momma. I'm sorry." Natasha announced, bawling her eyes out.

At this particular moment Stefan had entered the room too, a frighten look on his face.

Bonnie and Damon looked at each other, scared out of their minds.

"It's okay, baby." Bonnie cradled her head into her shoulders.

"It's okay, Natasha. He was a bad man. You were only protecting yourself." Damon kissed her cheek and then took his girls into his arms that still terrified look in his eyes.

By this time, Stefan had ran off to Natasha's room, reading her diary in a flash. "Oh, my god," he whispered as chills ran up and down his spine, and this haunting feeling filled his core.

_Who would want to hurt my little girl?_ Damon internally whispered.


	30. Chapter 30: 'D' Day

A/N: Another twofer. I hope you all like it because so much shit happens in this chapter. I know I'll get some upset, happy, angry, anxious, and/or scared reviews. LOL!

songs that inspired these two chapters Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart by Alicia Keys and You Could be Happy by Snow Patrol.

Enjoy! Please leave prompts. I'd love to hear your thoughts (about the characters and story) good, bad, or indifferent.

_**Oblivion Chapter 29: 'D' Day **_

Lucy sifted through her overnight bag, finding a toothbrush, nightgown, two outfits, and other needed things. She then sat on the side of the bed, a blank look in her moist eyes. She sat motionlessly, thinking about both Stefan and Hayden, wondering if she had made the right decision.

She then pulled her phone out of her pocket, pondering over if she should call Hayden and tell him about her breaking up with Stefan. _You can't Lucy. You said you needed time to think about what and who was right for you. _She let out a long, soft sigh.

As Lucy looked at her phone, a message from Hayden popped up on the screen.

_Goodnight, Lucy. I love you._

After reading the message, Lucy smiled, and she couldn't stop smiling. His message immediately took her back down memory lane. She reminisced about their dates. Them taken care of and teaching the children in the countries where they had lived. She then remembered how Hayden made love to her.

Lucy was in her own little world, which included Hayden, and she didn't even notice that Melissa had entered the room.

"Wow, you're smiling. You must have heard from, Stefan?" Melissa asked.

Lucy was still grinning like a little girl as she continued to look down at her cell phone.

"Earth to, Lucy," Melissa singsong.

"Huh, uh, what?"

"I asked…is that a message from, Stefan?"

"Uhhhh." Lucy looked down at her phone for a second and then back up at Melissa. "Uhh," she sputtered, again.

"Oh." Melissa frowned, tilting her head to the side as she fully entered the room with her arms alongside her.

Lucy hopped up off the bed, laying her phone face down on the night side table. She then walked to the dresser and placed her things in the top drawer.

"Stefan, told me you two broke up tonight."

Lucy froze on the spot with her back to Melissa. She assumed that Stefan would tell Damon that they had broken up before telling anyone else.

"Yes, Melissa. Stefan and I broke up."

"Why? You seemed so happy with him. You broke his heart, Lucy."

"It's better I break his heart now, then later, okay."

"What does that supposed to mean? Are you leaving Mystic Falls, hooking up with someone else? I thought you wanted to be here for, Bonnie and Natasha. Please tell me you're not getting back with that, Hayden guy?"

"How the hell do you know about, Hayden?" Lucy exclaimed, annoyed.

"You can't break up with, Stefan, for a guy that dumped you way back when. If he really loved you, he wouldn't have ended things with you, Lucy."

"Okay, little witch. I think you've said enough. Now I'm going to have to ask you to mind your own damn business and stay out of mine, okay?" Lucy glowered.

Melissa's expression eased. She lowered her gaze timidly to the ground and then looked back up to Lucy.

"Stefan, loves you, Lucy."

"Oh, he told you that?" she asked dispassionately. "Look Melissa, I really like, Stefan, and I'm under the impression that he really likes me, too, but we haven't been together long enough to be in love and that's just the facts," she paused.

"Once you've been in love and gotten your heart broken, it's hard to open yourself up and let another person back in, and Stefan and I guess I didn't realize that until now." Lucy looked at Melissa for a moment and then wandered over to the bed. She sat down, a gloomy look on her face.

Melissa sat down beside her and stared at the side of her sun-kissed face.

"You and Stefan, were perfect together, Lucy. He's so kind, handsome, and funny." Melissa giggled and blushed. Lucy took notice of this.

"Stefan, he's…he's a man, Lucy. He's loyal, sexy as hell. I bet he's a really good kisser," she said dreamily.

Lucy's jaw dropped, stunned. "Melissa…are you…do you…do you have a crush on, Stefan?"

Melissa whipped her gaze around to Lucy, flabbergasted. "No! No way! Oh my, god. Ew that's gross. Besides, I'm with, Tyler, and he's my boo. Are you crazy? Ugh. Ew. Ugh! No. No. Just no."

"Mhm," Lucy purred.

"Mhm? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means…I get it. Stefan's hot, and yes, he's very sexy. Any woman would be lucky to have him. I see why you like him."

"I don't like, Stefan," she bit heatedly.

"Mhm, sure," Lucy mocked and then pulled off her shirt.

"I don't like, Stefan! Ugh!" Melissa angrily grunted and then stomped out of the room. The heels of her boots knocked against the hard wood flooring every step of the way.

"Oh, Melissa! Come back!" Lucy grinned and shook her head at her pouty friend.

Lucy then began to feel sad for running her friend off. She was hoping that Melissa would hang around to help take her mind off of her situation. She plopped down on the bed and fell to the mattress.

"I love you, too, Hayden."

.o .O. o.

Back at the boarding house, Damon and Bonnie were still trying to calm Natasha. Stefan came and stood at the door with her diary in hand. He wanted to show it to Damon. He desired to look further into what happened to his niece. He wanted to help her heal and get pass what had happened to her.

"It'll be okay, sweetie. You can sleep with me and daddy tonight, or until you feel better."

Bonnie's words took Damon from his thoughts. He put his focus back on his family. He kissed Natasha's fat, little cheek sweetly, hoping that showering her with his love and affection would help soothe and take her mind off the awful thing that had happened to her in the woods.

"Can I have some milk and cookies?" Natasha asked.

"Sure." Bonnie answered as she stood, taking Natasha by the hand.

Damon slowly stood, too, placing his hands on his hips. He watched as his family headed for the door. He then averted his gaze to Stefan who was standing on the other side of the exit, leaning against the wall, his arms folded over a brown book with 'N' engraved on the front of the diary.

He squinted his eyes at the journal as Stefan smiled at Natasha and Bonnie, passing him on the way out of the room.

Stefan glanced over at Damon to find him looking back at him.

"What's that?" Damon pointed to the journal.

"It's Natasha's diary."

"You got her a diary?" Damon closed the gap between them, squinting at the "All important book."

"Natasha, wrote down what happened to her in the woods, word for word. You can read what she wrote down, if that's what you want."

"No, Stefan. I don't want to read about how my child was terrorized, but I have to, if I'm going to find out who the creep was that ambushed her in the woods," he huffed.

"She doesn't go into great detail about what her attacker looked like, so I don't know how much help this will be to us," Stefan said handing the journal over.

Damon opened the book and read her entry speedily. He slammed the book shut with one hand, gripping it with the force of vice grips as he peered out at nothing with a sinister look in his eyes. Stefan knew that look all too well. His brother wanted blood, and although Natasha had killed her nemesis, Damon still wanted blood.

"Tyler's a dead man," he muttered. He tossed the diary onto the bed and then marched to the door.

Stefan flashed in front of him, stopping him in his angry tracks. "Don't be stupid, Damon. Tyler, is our friend. It's not his fault that Natasha was attacked."

"It is his damn fault that she was attacked." Damon poked Stefan in the chest with his finger, hard, glowering at him. "If his ass had been watching her like he was supposed to, she would have never been able to wander off by herself."

"…so you're just going to go over there and try to kill Tyler just because Natasha was being a kid?" Stefan sped his brother an incredulous look.

"I know how kids are Stefan. That's why they need responsible people watching after them. Now, get out of my way, so I can rip a hole in, Tyler Lockwood." Damon vamp sped out of the room.

He grabbed his keys of the coffee table, alerting Bonnie.

"Where're you going?" she narrowed her eyes at an angry looking Damon.

"Out," he snapped.

"No he's not; he's going over to hurt Tyler for payback for what happened to, Natasha," Stefan said as he came walking up, an annoyed look in his eyes.

"Fuck," Damon mumbled, tensing up.

"Daddy, no!" Natasha cried out.

"Damon, you're not going to hurt Tyler, so help me god," Bonnie said sternly, getting to her feet.

"Are you really going to play the morality police with me right now, Bon Bon? Our child was attacked in the woods by some lunatic that Natasha described as a monster in her journal. He laughed and taunted our daughter while he was attacking her, Bonnie!"

Bonnie whipped her head around to Natasha, "Is this true?"

Natasha hung her head low. Bonnie sighed and wearily rubbed her forehead, dreading to know in full detail about what had happed to her daughter.

Damon took Bonnie's distraction as a chance to escape and have words with Tyler, but Stefan was still on alert and ready to block his brother at every turn.

"Move, Stefan," Damon growled.

"No, you can meet with Tyler after you've calm down, Damon."

Damon grimaced and then pushed Stefan out of the way. He flashed out of the house, to his car, but his brother was right on his heels. They chased each other around the car for a bit when the older brother suddenly grew tired of the games.

"Fuck you, Stefan."

"Nope, you're my brother." He grinned.

Damon was enraged with his brother's insolence at present. He stared at him with dagger eyes for a moment and then raced off toward the woods. Stefan hurriedly ensued.

"Damon!" Bonnie shouted as she rushed out the front door, Natasha following her.

"Daddy! Daddy. Please don't hurt, Tyler!" she screamed as she stood out on the porch, tears in her eyes, clutching her pink, stuff animal tightly in her arms as a light wind blew her chestnut hair all about. "Momma, why is daddy doing this?"

Bonnie slightly shook her head, looking intently at the woods surrounding the house, "Someone hurt his baby girl," she whispered. She completely understood Damon's anger, but she, unlike him, directed her anger solely at the perpetrator and not her good friend.

"Come on, Nat." Bonnie took Natasha's hand. They hopped in her car and sped off to Tyler's.

Damon zoomed through the forest with everything in him. On a good day, he would rocket pass Stefan, but this time, he couldn't whizz pass the new and improved Stefan who was now on human blood, thanks to Bonnie.

"I'm not going to let you hurt Tyler, Damon!"

"Try and stop me!"

While Damon and Stefan were arguing over Tyler, he was teaching Zinnia and Tupac how to play pool.

"I'm so good at this game!" Zinnia squealed.

"Yeah, unlike some people." Tyler and Zinnia looked at Tupac and laughed.

"I will conquer this game!" Tupac fussed.

They laughed, again.

"Maybe you'll play a lot better if you had another stiff one."

"See, this is why you are my favorite person," Tupac said to Tyler and then gave him a smile.

Tyler poured his guest another Irish whiskey, neat.

Tupac hadn't been on the planet a good month and already he had a favorite drink.

After Tyler poured his friend a whiskey, he looked around the room for Melissa, who was sitting in the corner, still sulking because of what Lucy had said to her. He walked over to her after handing Tupac his liquor.

"Hey, babe. You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered gloomily.

"You don't look fine."

Melissa sat there for a moment, still recollecting over Lucy's words.

"Do you think I'm too immature and that I don't take things serious enough?" she looked him straight in the eye.

"Mmm," Tyler considered his answer.

"Tyler, please," Melissa said once seeing that her boyfriend couldn't find the words or give her an answer.

"I think you're very mature, and I love that you have a positive and free spirit. Mystic Falls could use more people around here like you," he answered sweetly.

"Aww, you really mean that?"

"Hell yeah I do." He leaned into Melissa, pressing his lips into hers. She pushed her lips into his, parting his lips with hers. She eased her tongue into his mouth and swirled it around his. Tyler took her by the neck, deepening their kiss.

"Aww," Zinnia said as she snuggled closer to Tupac, watching the young couple smooch. She grabbed her husband's ass and squeezed.

"Mmm," he moaned and grabbed her bottom back. Tupac wrapped a hand around her neck and pulled her in for a kiss. They were soon enthralled in a sweet, sensual lip lock. Their lips brushed and danced around each other's. Zinnia's fingers dawdled down to his partially erect penis. She rubbed his semi hardness strongly, arousing Tupac.

"I want you inside me," she whispered into his ear.

"Whatever the lady wants, she gets." He grabbed her hand and led her to their guest bedroom.

Melissa and Tyler continued kissing, until a song she liked began to play.

"Dance with me," she whispered against his lips.

"Isn't this song a little too sad to slow dance, too?" he asked.

"…but I love this song." She bounced off the stool and dragged Tyler to the middle of the room to a cleared space. They began dancing to 'Try sleeping with a Broken Heart.'

"Will you go with me and Stefan to Florida to find, Abby?"

"Ugh, I'd love to go with you guys, but I can't, Melissa. I have to stay here, with Natasha."

"Natasha, has her parents Tyler, and what's a day or two?"

"I don't know, Melissa. Something tells me I shouldn't leave. I've been having this weird vibe ever since the day Natasha snuck out of the house."

"That feeling didn't stop you from coming home and staying the night."

"Believe me, I'm on edge. You haven't noticed how much liquor I've consumed?"

"Okay, but will you at least think about it?" she questioned disappointedly.

"Of course." He smiled before snuggling closer to Melissa as he swayed her from side to side, keeping time with the music.

Melissa looked out into the room, eyes wide open, recalling her conversation with Lucy.

The couple's peace and quiet didn't last for long. Damon burst through the doors of Tyler's house. He marched around the home, sniffing out the wolf.

"Damon, don't do this. Will you just calm the hell down?"

Damon ignored his brother's plea. He finally located the contented couple in the game room, slow dancing. He swung the door wide open. Tyler turned around, a curious look in his eyes as well as Melissa's. "Damon, hey man. What are you doing here?"

Damon flashed Tyler up against the wall without warning, strangling him, and then bashed his head up against the wall.

Tyler could feel himself blacking out as his cranium crashed against the wall over and over again. The blood stain on the wall got bigger and bigger with every blow.

"Damon," Tyler strained.

"Damon, stop this!" Stefan shouted, trying to yank his brother off of his friend.

Damon turned around and decked Stefan twice on the right cheek. Stefan stumbled back against the pool table, mortified. Instead of intervening, again, he stood and watched as Damon brutally whaled on Tyler.

"Your negligence almost got my daughter killed!" he shouted, strangling Tyler.

"What are you…talking about?" Tyler choked out, struggling for air.

"Natasha was attacked while you were in the house, playing footsies with Elena! She killed a man Tyler, and she's sick about it! She can't even sleep at night. She's scared out of her mind!" He threw Tyler across the room, into the wall, knocking down pictures, and puncturing the barrier.

"Tyler!" Melissa screamed and then ran to him.

Tyler shook off the blow and jumped to his feet, "I didn't know! It was a fucking mistake!"

Damon flashed him up against the wall, yet again, fisting his shirt. "That motherfucker taunted my baby girl, and laughed in her face while he used his powers against her, hurting her, and you were knocking back beers!"

Damon began thrashing Tyler, once more, hitting him with such force that blood shot out of his mouth and splattered across the floor and wall.

"I said I didn't know. I love, Natasha. I love her as if she were my own. I'd die for her." Tyler loudly whimpered as he timidly blocked Damon's blows.

"Stop this, both of you!" Stefan grabbed Damon, pulling him off of Tyler.

Damon wriggled free from Stefan's grasp, hitting him in the face with his elbow as he went.

"Owe! Hell no, screw this. You two go ahead and kill each other," Stefan snapped, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

Damon tackled Tyler to the floor and start beating on him, again. Tyler lifted Damon up by the legs and dropped to the floor. Damon yelped out in pain.

As Damon rolled around on the floor, brawling with Tyler, he realized he couldn't hurt this man. He cared about him. He suddenly wanted to stop, but he couldn't. He had promised his daughter that he'd take care of the bad guy, and since the bad guy was no more, he had to do the next best thing and punish the man who put his child in harm's way. Suddenly Damon didn't have the heart to keep bashing his friend's brain out, but he continued to anyway.

Tyler's actions mirrored Damon as he seem to just let Damon hit him and every once in a while he'd feebly try to defend himself.

Stefan wrinkled his face, puzzled with the two supernatural creatures in front of him who were now fighting like two drunken football players. They rolled around on the floor, softly hitting each other and kicking at air.

Stefan's tension eased. Tyler and Damon somehow got to their feet, both swinging their arms around like windmills, palms out, slapping each other's arms. Stefan started to laugh at how sorry his brother and Tyler fought.

"Stefan, stop laughing and stop them," Melissa said wearily.

"Are you kidding me? This shit is funny as hell." He laughed when moments ago he was as frightened as a mouse.

While Damon was forcing himself to keep punishing Tyler for being a terrible babysitter, Tyler was beside himself with resentment and grief. He had failed at protecting Natasha, the one thing he wanted to succeed at more than anything else in his life currently, but because of him, his god daughter had to face an insuperable amount of pain, alone. Tyler wanted to crawl under a rock and die.

Bonnie and Natasha walked in to the room, hand in hand. Bonnie halted at the door, a peculiar look on her face as she watched Damon and Tyler roll around on the carpet like lovers. Tyler's legs were wrapped around Damon's waist as Damon rocked his pelvis into Tyler's, trying to free himself.

Bonnie pointed to them and then looked over at Stefan. _What are they doing?_ She mouthed.

"They're fighting." He smirked.

"Are you sure?" Bonnie laughed, waving herself. Stefan threw his head back and howled loudly at her remark.

Natasha on the other hand, was not amused. Seeing her daddy with the upper hand, hurting her good friend infuriated her.

"Daddy, stop! Don't hurt, Tyler," she scolded.

She ran over to them and start hitting her father on the back of the head with the palm of her hand.

"Owe, owe, owe." Damon recoiled.

"Natasha, you don't hit your daddy!" Bonnie disciplined.

Damon got to his knees, still taking cover from his daughters little hands which stung with every whack. "Don't you dare hit, daddy," he said sternly as he took her by the hands, stopping her.

"You're mean!" she shouted and then ran out of the room.

"Get back here, young lady!" Damon ran after her. Bonnie followed them.

"Tyler, are you okay?" Melissa asked.

He growled and mumbled under his breath, his chest heaving. Stefan watched him closely. He was worried about his friend.

Melissa took him by the hand, smiling as she helped him to his feet. "It's okay baby. Damon's angry now, but tomorrow it'll be like it never happened. Natasha will be fine. Please, don't be upset."

"Don't be upset? Everything will be okay?" He yelled, giving her a dirty and unbelieving look. "This is not, 'La La Land,' Melissa. Natasha could've gotten killed because of me!"

"I know, but you didn't mean for her to get hurt. You didn't know some deranged guy was lurking around in the forest waiting to attack her. You can't blame yourself for this."

"Can you be serious for once? Can you not pretend like shit is okie dokie all the damn time and that we'll all live happily ever after? Natasha is a kid, and she killed a man. The image of what that man did to her and what she did to him will haunt her for the rest of her life, and you want to chalk all that up to just an accident, a mistake?!"

"Okay, Tyler, calm down. You have every right to be upset, but just dial it down a notch before you say something that you'll regret." Stefan advised.

"Whatever," Tyler murmured and then left the room.

Stefan looked over at Melissa who was devastated. She stood in the middle of the room, still as a statue.

"Melissa, are you okay?"

She stood there for a minute more before walking over to the couch to sit down. She rubbed her knees robotically with her hands, letting Tyler's words haunt and toy with her emotions. He said that she was mature, positive, and good for the town, but when it came time to back up those words, he had let her down in the worst way.

Melissa begin humming to Time After Time as it echoed loudly through the room as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Stefan walked over to Melissa and sat down beside her. He took her hand, clutching it tightly as he watched her and gave her time, to collect her thoughts.

"Wow, one sad song after another," she said.

"This one's not so sad, 'You could be Happy,' you know."

"No, I'm too stupid to be happy."

"You're not stupid, Melissa. Tyler's just angry. Give him some time to calm down."

"I am stupid, Stefan, and I'm a terrible girlfriend, a terrible friend." She sniveled a little harder.

"Oh, now. Stop being such a baby and woman up," he teased.

"This isn't funny, Stefan. Tyler, hurt my feelings. I deserve to be sad and in my feelings," she fussed.

"Oh, come here, you big cry baby." Stefan scooted closer to her, wrapping a hand around her waist, inching her closer to him. Melissa rested her head on his shoulder, still lightly sobbing.

"Tyler and Lucy, think I'm immature and childish. I'm a joke."

"You're not a joke. You're the classiest girl I know. When I was down tonight, you made me laugh when all I wanted to do was feel sorry for myself. You're a great girl. Tyler knows this, and he'll be back."

"You promise?"

"Look at me," he said, taking her by the chin with his two fingers, turning her gaze to his. "You're amazing, sexy, funny, smart, and you're kind of brave." He shrugged. They laughed.

"I have to be more serious though. Life isn't a joke."

"No, you have to be yourself, Melissa. The path to true happiness comes when _**we're**_ true to ourselves, understand?"

Melissa nodded, slightly smiling, "Thank you, Stefan." She wrapped her arms around him, pressing him tightly to her as she closed her eyes, and rested her head on his shoulder.

Stefan smiled, remembering how she had made him laugh earlier that night. He combed her hair with his fingers and gently rocked her as they sat on the sofa. Melissa ran her warm hands all over his strong back, feeling safe, and comforted in his arms as she released a relieving breath.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to buy two tickets to Florida. I think we need a break from all this madness."

"I think you're right. It'll make me so happy to find Abby for Bonnie, and for you."

"It's going to be great," he replied.

Lucy watched them all the while, smiling.

.o .O. o.

Kai was finally healed. After meeting and discovering Luna in his room, he fell asleep. He woke up fully rested and anxious to find out what Luna knew and how she could help him. He sat up sluggishly on the side of the bed when he caught the wonderful aroma of food cooking in the kitchen.

He got up from the bed and walked to the kitchen to find that Luna had made lemon peppered chicken, mac and cheese, corn, and biscuits and jam. He was impressed. He had filled his cupboards and fridge with all his favorite things, but he doubt that he could whip up a meal as delicious as the one she had put together.

"Smells nice."

"Oh, you're up." Luna returned him a happy grin. "Sit. Sit. You need to eat."

"Yes. Yes, and you need tell me everything you know." He evilly grin.

"Of course." She flashed him an attractive wicked sneer.

Luna fixed Kai's plate and sat it down in front of him. She hurried around the kitchen for utensils and his drink. Kai watched her absorbedly through a penetrative gaze and a slight grin on his face. He admired her body and how eloquently she moved around the room. She was a hell of a woman. He could feel his cock stiffening in his dirty jeans.

_Be cool, Kai. You can fuck her and then kill her later. _

Luna whipped her gaze around to him as if she had heard what he was thinking. Kai shifted his gaze guiltily around the room before his eyes landed back on her. Luna sped him a knowing grin. She sat his knife, fork, and drink down in front of him and then she sat down at the table to eat, too.

"I know you don't trust me, but after I tell you what I know, I promise you'll want to keep me around," she said, caressing hand.

Kai looked down at her hand, touching his with disdain. "That depends on the news now, doesn't it?" He gave her a cheeky grin. "Get on with it. I'm growing bored with your presence."

Luna held her poker face. She liked a challenge, and a challenge Kai was.

"You're going to make a play for Natasha's powers…again. You sneak into her house, while she and her parents are asleep. You believe that they've forgotten all about you, but they haven't. Damon and Bonnie are going to work with Natasha, every day, building up her confidence, showing her how to use her powers, so when you creep into her room, a month from now…she ends you." She explained coldly through her icy eyes and ominous voice. "You will be defeated."

Kai trembled inside after hearing her haunting tale, but he kept wearing that same mischievous grin, not letting her know how worried he was or even how frighten he was by the fact that she had foiled his plan. "See, that's where you're wrong, because I always win. I'm Malachi Parker."

"There are losers, and there are winners, Malachi Parker. Which one are you?" She flashed him a cunning look.

Kai studied her for a moment and then shoved some of the food into his mouth. He was annoyed with her, already.

"How do I get her powers?" he asked, embarrassed. He was Kai Parker. He didn't need help from anyone. He was his own master planner, until now.

"You don't," she answered.

Kai turned her an angry look, freezing up on the spot. "I thought you said you were here to help me."

"I am, but why go after Natasha's magic when you can take Bonnie's unborn child's power instead?"

Kai's eyes dimmed, astounded. "Bonnie's pregnant?"

"Yes."

"How…how…how do I get her baby's power if I can't get, Natasha's?"

"You really want to know my plan?"

Kai grinned with pleasure, "I'm listening."

"As I suspected you would." She returned him the same impish leer.

.o .O. o.

"Natasha Salvatore, you don't hit your father!" yelled Damon.

Natasha kept walking.

"Listen to your dad, Natasha!"

"He's mean!"

"Natasha, you stop right there!" he bellowed, again.

She angrily spun around. Damon stopped in front of her, his nostrils flaring, "Why are you angry with me? I was defending you!" he spat.

"Tyler's my friend; you hurt him. I hate you!" she poked out her lips and narrowed her eyes.

Damon's shoulders slunk. His daughter's words cut him to the bone. He believed she wanted him to defend her. He thought he had made her proud. "Wow, I guess I don't know this kid after all."

"Damon, she didn't mean that. Natasha, you don't mean that." Bonnie explained worriedly as she looked into Damon's disappointed eyes.

"She means it, Bonnie. It's okay," he said somberly and then walked away.

Bonnie waited until he left before addressing their daughter, "Natasha, what you said to your father was mean. He was only trying to defend your honor."

"He scared me, and he hurt, Tyler. I don't hate daddy. Do you think he's mad with me?"

"No, baby. Your father could never be mad at you," she said kneeling down in front of a wounded looking Natasha.

"Will you tell him I'm sorry?"

"You tell him yourself. Come on."

They walked outside to find Damon leaning against the car, sulky. They walked up to him, Natasha stared stoically at him.

Damon was too hurt to hold her gaze at first, but he soon found the strength to look down at his little girl. "What, you come to get onto me, again?"

"I'm sorry, daddy." Natasha began to sniffle. Damon looked at her for a spell almost becoming undone himself.

"Hey, hey, it's okay." He crouched down in front of her, smiling. Natasha threw her arms around him. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I love you, daddy. You're everything to me."

"Aww, and you're everything to me, too. I didn't mean to frighten you. I only wanted to keep my promise to you."

Natasha and Damon's emotional moment was stolen by Bonnie's loud sobbing.

"Bonnie?" Damon squinted his eyes at her.

"This moment is just so damn beautiful," she said rubbing her pregnant belly.

Damon laughed as he got to his feet. He wrapped his arms around Bonnie's waist. He kissed her forehead, nose, and then her lips sweetly.

"I think now is a good time for some good news. I didn't want to tell you. I wanted it to be a surprise, but what the hell, I'm so excited."

"What is it?" Damon questioned all bright-eyed, his angelic smile that seem to be making more of appearance since Bonnie had been a part of his life.

"I'm having a boy!"

"We're having a son! How? When? Where?" Damon was too excited to form questions.

"Yes! Meredith told me when you weren't paying attention on our last visit. I wanted you to be surprised when he was born, but I just couldn't keep it a secret anymore."

Damon lift Bonnie in the air and twirled her around, kissing her.

"Hey, what's so damn great about a boy?" Natasha pouted.

Damon put Bonnie down. They were flabbergasted.

"Hey, you watch your mouth, Natasha Salvatore." Damon scolded and then playfully poked her tummy before picking up his baby girl and throwing her up in the air. She laughed and happily squealed as she was being lifted and lowered in the air.

"You're the best thing that could've ever happened to me kid. You're my princess." What Damon felt for the little girl he held in his grasp was like nothing he'd ever known before. He suspected that he'd be fighting for Natasha as long as he walked the earth.

Damon and Natasha turned their happy gaze to Bonnie, who was happily sobbing all over again. They erupted into another fit of elation.

.o .O. o.

Tyler found himself back at home after riding around Mystic Falls for the last two hours. He crept into his bedroom and quietly removed his shirt, shoes, and socks. He looked over at Melissa whose back was to him.

She opened her eyes after hearing him enter the room. "I thought you said you liked that I was positive?" her voice cracked.

Tyler peered over his shoulder, his eyes on the foot of the bed. "I was angry, Melissa. I had no right to say what I said to you."

"…but you said it, Tyler, and it hurt."

He sat in silence for a moment, remembering what happened earlier and all the things that he had said and done. "I'm sorry, Melissa, and I adore the person you are."

She lifted herself up off the bed, the covers dropped to her waist, revealing her skimpy nightgown as she propped herself up on the mattress.

"Tyler, you're always apologizing to me. I don't want to be in a relationship where I keep offending my partner, and he keeps offending me. It's a miserable feeling."

"Okay, and you're right. I should've handled my anger better than I did, but I don't think we have a bad relationship. I know we can work this out. Things will get better."

"You promise?"

"Yes."

"If you're feeling frustrated with me, just tell me, or walk away, okay?"

"I will, Melissa. I'll do anything to keep you in my life."

Melissa beamed. Tyler smirked as he tinkered with her scarf.

"Cool scarf."

Melissa laughed. "I have to wrap all this hair up every night. I won't get a peaceful night's rest if I don't."

"Too bad it has to come off." He waggled his eyebrows at her.

Melissa looked at him for a moment and then snatched off her scarf. Tyler threw the covers over them and tickled her. Soon they were ripping off each other's clothes and making love.

Tyler lay on top of her, rocking his hips against her pelvis, his cock gliding effortlessly in and out of her slowly as he smiled against her lips, sucking and twirling his tongue around hers.

"Tyler, this is so right," she moaned, kneading and caressing his strong back.

"You're my girl, Melissa. We're going to have that happily ever after." He purred in her ear.

"Yes. Forever."


	31. Chapter 31: 'D' Day Part II

_**Oblivion Chapter 31: 'D' Day Part II**_

.o .O. o.

Bonnie and Damon woke Natasha up bright and early the next morning. They wanted to train her on how to use and control her powers. They all sat down for a big breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, and toast.

Stefan also decided to join them. He wanted to be front and center for his niece's training as she was very important to him. He regretted not being there for her when she needed him the most.

"Good morning," Damon greeted his brother as he walked in to the kitchen.

Stefan didn't answer. He walked over to the coffee pot and poured himself a cup. He hadn't forgotten about how Damon had punched him, not once, but twice in his pursuit to teach Tyler a lesson.

Stefan took a sip of his coffee and then hit Damon, two right hooks to the face, "Now, it's a good morning." He gave his brother a self-satisfied grin.

"Owe, that was low, Stefan." Damon massaged his afflicted cheek, wearing an aggrieved look.

"Boys are stupid," said Natasha.

"Yes they are, baby," answered Bonnie.

After eating breakfast, they all went outside to begin Natasha's training.

"The first thing I'm going to show you, Natasha, is how to become one with nature. We'll start by healing those flowers you ripped apart to give to me. Damon can you bring us a dead squirrel?" asked Bonnie.

"Ew, but why?" he frowned.

"Just do it."

"I'm on it," said Stefan. He vamp sped to the woods.

Natasha's jaw dropped after her mother's remark about her ripping apart the flowers. She couldn't help but feel that her mother was taking a jab at her for taking them from the garden, "Hey! I thought you liked that I gave you flowers."

Bonnie and Damon cackled. "Oh, sweetie I do. I love my flowers, but as a witch, it's good that we learn how to keep balance with nature."

"Ah, here we go," Damon mumbled. Bonnie shot him dagger eyes.

They walked over to the patch of flowers, seeking out the place where the floras were plucked from. Bonnie got to her knees. Natasha followed, keeping a keen eye on her mother.

"Here are the squirrel's, milady," said Stefan as he placed two rodents on the ground in front of Bonnie.

"All I needed was one. Ugh," Bonnie grumbled.

"A simple thank you will suffice," he said sarcastically and grinned.

They both laughed.

Bonnie continued with her example as she felt over the soil. First, she showed Natasha how it was done. She pushed the dirt away from the broken stem and cupped it in her hands. She closed her eyes and said a chant under her breath. Damon and Stefan turned on their vampire hearing, determined to know what she was saying.

Right before Natasha's eyes, the stem begin to grow and blossom into the once beautiful flower that it once was. Damon's eyes widened in amazement. Natasha was astounded by the simple, yet marvelous act, and Stefan was impressed.

"Wooow! That's so awesome. Teach me! Teach me, momma. How did you do that?"

"Well one most become one with nature first…"

Bonnie's words became quieter as she went on and on about being one with nature. Damon was becoming bored with tricks and sorcerer talk. He loved to see it being performed, but the how's and why's of how to perform magic he found absolutely mind-numbing. Stefan on the other hand knelt down in the dirt with Bonnie and Natasha, intrigued. He was always the good student. Damon not so much.

He was acting like the kid in class with ADHD as he loudly scuffed about, grunted, and slapped the bark off the tree.

Bonnie was finally at her wits end with all his minor disruptions in the background, distracting her train of thought.

"Damon," she sighed deeply as she stood. "Would you like to show Natasha your two vampire tricks, so I can work with her…alone?"

"A vampire has more than two tricks…Bon Bon," he said sassily.

"Mhm, sure." Bonnie folded a knee, her arms, and tapped her foot against the grass.

"We have super vision, hearing, and speed, and…and…and…"

"We have the power to compel people and super strength, too," said Stefan with his arms crossed, wearing a cute grin.

"Aha! We can compel people to do what we want, and we're super strong," Damon announced proudly. It was all Bonnie could do to not laugh.

"After you've shown Natasha your five tricks, bring her back to me." Bonnie walked back towards the house.

"It takes longer than a day to do what I do, Bon-nie!"

Natasha and Stefan sniggered at Damon being childish.

"Whatever," Damon replied, peeved.

"Natasha, you want to race me to that tree?" Stefan asked, ignoring Damon's sour mood. He was resolute about keeping Natasha on track.

"Mm, I don't know. I might get hurt," she said.

"All you have to do, is concentrate on where you want to go, and when you see your destination fast approaching, willed yourself to stop. It's that simple."

"You think?" she asked.

"I know so." He gave her an affectionate grin. "One, two, three, and go!" Stefan took off.

"Ah man!" Natasha shouted and then took off, too.

Damon beamed at the sight of them. His sour mood quickly dissipated, and he quickly ensued.

Stefan made it to the tree first, then Natasha, and lastly, Damon.

"Stefan, you're wrong for cheating, Nat." He frowned. Stefan laughed off his remark.

"Alright, let me teach you about your vampire vision. You can see things that a mere mortal can't, unless they have the help of special equipment like microscopes, telescopes, and anything else science can create," Damon explained.

"Do I just flip a switch in my brain?" she asked.

"No, you willed your abilities to do what you want. Just think about what you want and do it."

Natasha nodded. Damon leaned down to her, turning her to face the bushes beside them.

"Okay, concentrate really hard to see the specks of dust on this leaf," he directed.

Natasha squinted her eyes, fixing them on the leaf. Her pupils expanded and narrowed until she was finally able to see the fragments of dirt resting on top of the leaf, "Wow," she gasps.

"Cool, right?" Damon smiled proudly at his baby girl.

"See if she can spot the bird nest at the top of that tree," said Stefan.

Damon stood, looking in the direction of where Stefan was pointing. "Where?"

"Magnify your vision, old man." Stefan chuckled.

"Oh yeah! Come here Natasha and see this."

They all stood there for a few minutes, the sun blaring in their faces, admiring the momma bird interacting with her babies.

"Okay, I got this. Now teach me about my other gifts." Natasha was like a little sponge soaking up everything Stefan and Damon had to tell and show her.

"You got this? Are you sure, because sometimes we see things that may not really be there?"

"Really, because usually what I see is what I actually saw," said Stefan nonchalantly.

"Shut up, Stefan." Damon really wanted to prove to Bonnie that vampire powers weren't just a joke or something to be taken lightly, but Natasha seem to be proving him wrong.

"Now for my favorite, well, next to my favorite gift, super hearing."

"Oh, I think I already have that down."

"Really?" Damon wrinkled his brow.

"Yup."

"What was the last thing you heard with your super hearing?" he asked.

"Are you sure you want to know?" Natasha asked guiltily as she fiddled timidly with her fingers.

"What is it, Nat? You can tell me anything," Damon pleaded with a concerned look on his face.

"I heard you and momma having sex, she was moaning, 'Oh, Damon. Oh, Damon,' and you were moaning, 'That's it Bonnie. Ah, fuck. Yes baby, yes," she replied with a straight face.

Stefan choked out a hearty laugh and fell to the ground howling and bursting at the seams, his face red, abdomen burning, and tears in his eyes.

Damon looked out into the woods with a mortified and constipated look on his face. He stood and quickly composed himself, forcing himself to get back to business. _I guess I can cut having sex with my wife off the list. _

"Stefan get your ass over here!" Damon hissed.

"Ohhh, oh, my god," he wobbled over to them, trying to collect himself. "There's got to be a spell for that man."

"Shut the fuck up," Damon snapped, again.

"Your daughter is literally right there, Damon." Stefan shook his head incredulously at his brother.

"Natasha you want to learn about your super strength or have you conquered that, too?" Damon said mockingly with a slight roll of his eyes.

"Is this super strength?" Natasha ran over to a small tree lying on the ground. She pushed her tiny hands underneath it, struggling as she tried lifting it over her head.

"Whoa there." Stefan ran over to her, laughing as he helped her to lift the tree over her head.

"Yeah, like that," Damon responded disappointedly and shook his head at how outrageous his training with Natasha was going.

Stefan and Natasha were all giddy and excited about her accomplishments, but not Damon. He enjoyed teaching his daughter everything there was to know about her gifts. He loved the fact that she needed him. It hurt him to see that she didn't need him as much as he believed and wanted her to.

They went on to educate Natasha about vampire compulsion. They talked to her in depth about how dangerous and risky it could be and how using this gift could ruin friendships, take away a person's freewill, and asked that she use it wisely.

They then worked with her a little more on her vampire speed as it was her favorite once she had mastered the skill. Lastly, they went hunting. Stefan led the charge on teaching her how to hunt. He was in fact the master of hare coursing.

Natasha seem to conquer hunting for her prey like she did everything else. It wasn't until her brutal battle with a deer that they decided to call it a day.

"I guess we'll call it a day." Damon rested his hand on top of Nat's head and smiled down on her. Stefan snapped a picture of Father and Daughter, tearing up at the sight of them.

"Yeah, I'm hungry!"

"You just fed?" Damon questioned skeptically.

"I need substance."

"She's half human, Damon. I doubt the blood fills her tummy," added Stefan.

"Oh, yeah." He narrowed his eyes, remembering his daughter was half mortal.

"Wow, we showed Natasha how to use all her gifts in under three hours," Stefan announced proudly, looking at his watch.

"Who asked you?" Damon snapped.

Stefan sent him an odd look and then shook his head at his brother's response. "Race you to the house!" he shouted and then took off.

"Oh, no you don't!" Damon took off after him. He pounced on Stefan, stopping him dead in his tracks.

"Go, Natasha! Go, baby!"

She whizzed by them like lightening, her small frame kicking up a faint squall.

"Ah, man!" Stefan hit the ground playfully, pretending to be upset about the loss.

Bonnie was out on the patio, setting out their lunch. She made lemonade and sandwiches for her clan.

"Momma! Momma! I won!" Natasha shouted as she came flashing up to her mother, using her as a buffer.

"Whoa!" Bonnie almost toppled over.

"I see. I'm so proud of you. Did you enjoy your training?"

"Yes! I had so much fun. I fed on a rabbit, a squirrel, and I almost beat up a deer."

"Okaaaay." Bonnie drawled, frowning all up in the face.

Damon and Stefan finally made it back.

"Everybody wash up and then we'll eat," said Bonnie.

The fellows and Bonnie went inside. Natasha stayed outside and snuck some chips out of the bowl. Since she had just learned about her vampire gifts, she decided to keep them on alert, and her senses were going haywire when she picked up the scent of someone new nearby.

Natasha wasn't the only person in the woods learning and being reacquainted with her vampire gifts. Her body went numb, causing the chip to fall from her lifeless fingertips. Her core quaked; her heart began to race. She turned slowly around to see the person or thing with the unfamiliar scent.

Her brain was telling her to get mommy and daddy, but she wanted to face her fears alone. In this instance, she was just like her mother, so brave, but so afraid.

She turned around, seeing no one. She decided to follow the scent. She closed her eyes, giving herself the courage to face the unknown. She sped out to the woods at vampire speed. Within minutes, Natasha was face to face with the enemy who turned out not to be an enemy at all.

Hayden held his hands up, backing away from her. "I was just leaving. Sorry to have interrupted you. I guess I wasn't paying attention to how far I had wandered away from home."

"You're…you're…you're not here to hurt me?" Natasha asked.

"Oh, heavens no. I'm just out taking a stroll," he answered, straightening himself.

It didn't take long for Natasha to sense good vibes coming from Hayden as her eyes wandered over his buff frame and pleasant face. It also helped that he was soft spoken. Natasha became taking by how the sun reflected off his golden hair and skin as he stood before her in his nicely fit blue jeans and simple white t-shirt.

"Are you an angel?"

Hayden let out a soft chortle. "No. I'm something else." A sad look instantly covered his face.

"You're a vampire." Her soft voice took him away from his brooding.

"How?" He squinted his gaze at her.

"I'm a witch and a half vampire."

Hayden had already known this much about Natasha Salvatore. It was all Luna and Shing could talk about.

"If you're not out here to hurt me, then why are you out here in the middle of the woods?"

"I'm teaching myself to be a vampire, again."

"I'm learning how to be a vampire, too. My name is, Natasha." she walked closer to Hayden, extending her hand.

"Are you sure you should be talking to strangers' little lady?" Hayden knelt down in front of her and sweetly kissed the back of her hand. "I'm Hayden, Natasha. Nice to meet you, gorgeous."

Natasha blushed, twirling her body from side to side, grinning.

"You're beautiful, Hayden."

"Oh, well." He let out a shy and burly chuckle.

By this time, Bonnie, Damon, and Stefan were running around the house like maniacs, looking for their daughter.

"Natasha!" Bonnie screamed.

"I'll check inside the house!" Stefan blurted out.

Damon was finally seeing how easy it was for a child to get away from an adult. He was now in Tyler's shoes and had sworn to kick his own ass and Natasha's once he found her.

"My daddy and Uncle Stefan are the best vampires in the whole world. They can teach you, too, if you want."

"They are you say. I wish I could take you up on your offer, but I doubt your family would want me around."

As soon as those words parted Hayden's lips, he was hit with what felt like a train plowing a car off the tracks (He imagined).

Damon rammed Hayden's head up against every tree in the vicinity. He then pounded his upper body like a punching bag, breaking his rib cage, collar, and jaw bones as he whaled on his upper body like a madman. In addition to being brutally beaten, Hayden's insides were on fire, turning into pure mush as Bonnie used her powers maliciously against him.

Hayden wanted so bad for the reign of terror that Bonnie and Damon were raining down on him to just stop. He regretted overwhelmingly for even meeting Natasha. He'd rather go back into time and have Lucy break up with him a thousand times more, then to continue going through the torturous and horrific hell the bat shit crazy parents were putting him through currently.

All he could hear was the wind noises of Damon's fast moving fist, whaling on him, his fangs ripping his flesh apart, and Natasha's faint screams for her parents to stop.

He was now on the ground, but the terror didn't stop. Damon's knee was in his back, pulling on he's chin as he tried ripping off his head, and Bonnie was still incapacitating him with her magic.

Hayden cried out, and oddly, his eyes searched all around for a way out of this mess. He looked over at a crying Natasha, a determined Bonnie, whose hair flapped madly in the wind as branches, leaves, and other things whirled all around them, protecting them from outside forces. As his eyes fitfully scanned the area, they finally landed on Stefan who had just came on the scene.

"Bonnie, Damon, Stop this!" he yelled outside of Bonnie's chaotic force field of leaves and branches.

Hayden heard Stefan pleading loudly to the enraged parents to stop, but they ignored his pleas.

Stefan looked at the branches and leaves whipping around them, determined to save Hayden, but there was no way he'd come out on the other side of the force field alive. "Natasha! Do something!"

She nodded and then went right into action. She used her magic to levitate Bonnie and gave her father a brain popping aneurysm. Damon freed Hayden right away and gripped his temple.

Bonnie looked over at her daughter, surprised that she was performing magic so well.

"He's my friend, momma!" Natasha released her parents from her enchantment. Bonnie floated to the ground. Damon looked at her all wide-eyed.

Natasha and Stefan ran to Hayden's aid.

"Give him some of your blood, sweetie," Stefan said to Natasha.

"No! No!" Damon griped.

"Yes, Damon! Yes! What the hell is wrong with you and Bonnie? Have you two gone mad? You just can't go around kicking peoples asses for having a mere conversation with your daughter!" he reprimanded.

"You weren't here Stefan! You don't know what the fuck he was going to do to her."

"If he's Lucy's friend, he can't be that fucking bad!"

"Natasha, please baby don't feed him. You don't know if he's capable of feeding from a living person," Damon said imploringly with a worried look in his eyes.

"You can't stop me, daddy!" Natasha placed her wrist to Hayden's mouth under Stefan's manipulation.

"Natasha," Bonnie called softly.

"It's okay, momma."

Hayden whimpered and wriggled weakly on the ground. His eyes and face were so bloody and swollen that he looked like another person. He slowly parted his lips, extended his fangs, and bit gently into Natasha's wrist.

She winced and lowly moaned.

"It's okay, Natasha. I'm here with you," said Stefan as he held firmly to her wrist and tenderly rubbed her back.

As Hayden drank her blood, Natasha thought about how badass her parents were. She was in awe of them both. She was very delighted that they were her mom and dad. She looked up at their whipped faces and smiled happily at them. They returned her sweet gesture. Bonnie was proud to see her daughter have a mind of her own, and Damon was as well.

_She's going to be so badass, _he said within.

_I wish I was half as brave as my baby at this age,_ said Bonnie internally.

Hayden took only what he needed and then unlatched his fangs. He's healing was now more rapid as he now had fresh, witch blood, flowing inside of him.

"Why were you out here alone with my daughter?" Damon asked angrily.

"I…I…I was hunting. I stumbled upon your place by accident. I watched you all out on the patio for a little while because I wanted to apologize to you for working with Shing, but I meant you no harm. I swear," he answered in a weakened voice.

"I'm sorry for what I did to you, but our daughter was attacked in these woods. A man tried to kill her. Natasha believes she killed him," explained Bonnie.

"I think I know the man you're speaking of, and he is in fact dead. You'll never have to worry about him hurting your little girl, again."

"That bastard better be dead. Take me to where you saw him."

"Damon, if he says he's dead, then he's dead," said Stefan.

"No, Damon's right. We need to make sure that fuckers dead," Bonnie added. "Take him to the house. Let him rest a little while, get cleaned up, and then you take us to him, understand?"

Hayden nodded. There was no way in hell he was going to refuse this little witch.

.o .O. o.

After Hayden had rested and gotten cleaned up, he took Bonnie and Damon to Kai's place, but Luna had already seen this very thing happening in her vision.

Kai killed a man, spelled the dead man to wear his face, and had spelled the house so that it left no trace of him and Luna.

While Bonnie, Damon, and Hayden rummaged around the house, Luna and Kai were cloaked, watching them inspect his supposedly dead body and stuff.

"You sensing anything, Bon Bon?"

"No, I'm not picking up anything."

"Is that a good or bad thing?" Hayden asked. Damon narrowed his gaze, concerned.

"It could be bad, but in this case, seeing his body, it's a good thing, because when a witch dies, the spell expires, too."

"Good, and you're positive that this is the fucker that tried to hurt my daughter?" Damon questioned as he looked down on the cadaver with a menacing look in his eyes.

"Yup, this is him. Do you want me to bury the body?" Hayden asked.

"No, let him rot."

"We'll burn the house with him in it. Let's make sure this bastard doesn't come back to life," replied Bonnie.

Hayden, Bonnie, and Damon looked down at the body a little longer before leaving.

After clearing the house, Bonnie destroyed the house with one simple word, "Incendium." Flames started at the base of the house and soon engulfed it.

They watched as the house burned to the ground. Damon too Bonnie into his arms.

She interlocked her fingers behind his neck and then placed a chaste kiss on his lips. "I think we can live our lives and finally be happy now," she said seriously.

"I think you're right, and you…B-town, deserve all the happiness this world has to offer."

Bonnie cut her pretty little green eyes up at him, gushing. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Hayden leaned against the car, hands in his pocket, his ankles crossed, wishing that Bonnie and Damon were him and Lucy.

Unbeknownst to the happy couple and Hayden, Kai and Luna had escaped the house and had taken cover in the woods. They looked at each other sadistically, grinning at how clever they thought they were.

.o .O. o.

Melissa and Stefan had a pleasant flight to Florida. They got in real early, went straight to their hotel room, and rested before starting their search for Abby. Since all they had was a picture to locate her by, the area they had to cover was vase. Melissa finally narrowed down their search to a suburban area called Waterford Lakes, Florida, once they got closer to her whereabouts.

They rode around with Abby's picture asking random people about her. They ignored the odd and nasty looks of passer byers and onlookers.

They drove around a couple of hours more before finding themselves eating lunch outside on the patio of a little restaurant surrounded by a different arrangement of plants and flowers. They laughed and smiled all the while as they ate their food, no mention of Lucy or Tyler.

For the first time since knowing Melissa, Stefan was seeing her through a different set of eyes. He could hardly eat his food for gawking at her in her light blue, sheer blouse, a hint of her tan cleavage showing.

He tried averting his eyes everywhere else, but they'd land right on her perfect, taut legs and wander down to her cute little boots. He nervously laughed and told bad jokes in an effort to circumvent the situation. He was desperate to do anything else than continue disrespecting his good friends Melissa and Tyler.

_Why do I keep looking at her boobs? Oh, god, I hope she didn't notice, he pleaded within. Look at the way she sweeps the hair off her face? She's so adorable. Ah, wow. _

"Oh, it's, Tyler!" Melissa announced excitedly.

_Melissa and Tyler are together. What the hell is wrong with me? Am I horny? No, Lucy and had sex last week, and man was it good. I should call her when I get back. Maybe she'll still sleep with me. _

"Okay, babe. I miss you! Mwah!" Melissa hung up the phone, smiled down at it for a bit, and then put her focus back on Stefan.

"That was Tyler, hun? I bet he's missing you like crazy," Stefan said, a hint of disappointment in his voice as he folded his arms over the table.

"Yeah, he misses me, and I miss him." She smiled.

An awkward silence ensued.

Stefan looked at Melissa's boobs again. He quickly turned away, bothered by his behavior and his inability to be a gentleman in this instance.

After seeing Stefan look at her breasts, Melissa absentmindedly loosened another string revealing more of herself. She was flattered by his gawking. _Shit! Why did I do that? _She jumped, alarmed, and then tightened her blouse. "We…we better go. It'll be dark out soon."

"Oh, yeah." Stefan saw that her blouse was tied and she was fully covered. He grew angry with himself for putting his friend in such an uncomfortable position, but he was too ashamed to apologize because then she would know what a scum bag he was.

After lunch, they explored a few more areas surrounding Orlando before turning in for the night.

Stefan paced the floor of his room, a towel wrapped around his waist. He looked in the mirror, remembering how Lucy admired his half naked body on the day that they had broken up. His glimmer of happiness soon faded when he thought about the fact that Lucy would no longer be sharing his bed or bestowing him with her witty comebacks or compliments.

Stefan looked at the door that adjoined his and Melissa's room. He begin to wonder how she was doing. He had already thanked her a million times already for helping him to find Abby, yet here he was, wanting to thank her some more. He grabbed his bag and took out his pajamas. He removed his towel and tossed it in to the bathroom as he thought about how the spell had worn Melissa down. He was impressed with her tenacity at wanting to find Abby Bennett as much as him if not more.

"Knock, knock, you asleep?" Melissa asked, barging in on a naked Stefan.

"Oh, shit! Oh, shit! Oh, shit! He chanted, spinning around in place.

Melissa's eyes fixated on his impressive manhood, longer than she needed to. "OH, MY GOD!" she squealed and then slammed the door shut. She grabbed her chest, hyperventilating, practically. "I'm sorry, Stefan!"

Stefan laughed. "It's okay. I was just about to put on my PJ's." He hurried into his pj's and then plopped down on the bed, ashamed. "Melissa!"

"Yes!"

"I'm coming over, so can we just pretend like you never saw me naked?"

"It never happened!" she shouted back.

Stefan slowly walked to the door, jittery. He knocked and it took Melissa a long time to answer. Their eyes met. Her eyes sheepishly shifted from side to side. She could barely hold his gaze.

"It never happened, Melissa, shit!" he snapped.

"It's forgotten! Now come in, damn!" she huffed.

"I like your pinned striped pajamas, we match." She modeled her yellow, pinned striped sleepwear as she spun around in place.

"Yeah, you like me fully clothed."

"Stop it. It's forgotten I said."

Stefan deeply sighed, becoming more serious. "So…is everything okay?" he asked as he sat down on the bed.

"Yeah, why?" she sat down crossed leg on top of the bed beside him.

"You came to my room. I thought something might be wrong."

"Oh no, nothing's wrong. I was just thinking about this entire Abby thing. Maybe we should tell Bonnie what we're trying to do. She could probably help us, or maybe she has something of her mother's that could aid in our search for her."

"Yeah, we could, but that would ruin my entire surprise for Bonnie." A disappointed look painted Stefan's face.

"Uh, about that, I'm not so sure that seeing Abby would be a big happy surprise for Bonnie." Melissa explained hesitantly and then turned her attention elsewhere, avoiding eye contact with Stefan.

"Melissa, what are you not telling me?"

"Well…the other day, I asked Bonnie if she wished that some of her relatives could attend the wedding. She said that she wished her grams and her father could be here to see her get married and meet their grandchildren."

"She didn't ask about Abby?" he inquired, his brow crumpled.

"Yes, I'm getting to that, so hush."

They chuckled.

"I noticed that she didn't mention her mother so I asked about her. She gave me this annoyed look, and then said she didn't want Abby showing up and trying to be a part of her kids' life and that if she tried, she'd stake her ass herself."

"Bonnie said that?" Stefan questioned, surprised by Bonnie's unforgiving attitude. "No, that doesn't sound like the Bonnie I know. I bet if she saw her mother she'd be happy."

"Yeah, but Bonnie has been through a lot. She died and her mother didn't even come back to find out what happened to her. How can she so easily forgive her for that?"

"Yeah, that is a hard pill to swallow." Stefan looked down at the floor with a meditative gaze. "Do you regret coming here to find her?"

"No. You? We did a good thing, right?"

"Yeah, if you mean by finding Abby Bennett-Wilson to bring her home for Bonnie to maybe kill her, then yeah, we did a good thing." He joked.

Melissa chuckled. "I'm glad we came on this little trip together. I really needed a break from Mystic Falls."

"Oh, you hate my little town?" Stefan scooted against the headboard, crossing his ankles, awaiting her response.

"No, I like Mystic Falls, but being stuck in the boarding house all the time is really wearing me down. I really wish Tyler could've come. He needs a break, too, but he can't stand to be away from Natasha for too long."

"When we get home, I'll talk to Natasha. I'll see if I can get her to talk to Tyler, let him know that she's a big girl now, and capable of taking care of herself."

Melissa snorted, "You act as if Natasha's a grown woman who can persuade Tyler, who's a very strong willed man, to do as she says."

"Hey, you underestimate my niece. That kid's got moxie."

"If you can get Natasha Salvatore to loosen up the rings on Tyler, I'd love you forever."

"Waa, you, love me, forever. I feel so honored." He teased.

Melissa shook her head, laughing.

"Okay, I'll do it. I'd do anything for you, Melissa."

She widened and narrowed her eyes at his remark.

Stefan just sat there, wearing his cutesy smile and that romantic look that made all the girls swoon over him.

"Whew, it's getting late. We better go to bed. We have an early flight tomorrow."

"Ugh, you're right. I guess this means goodnight," Stefan said as he scooted to the side of the bed, preparing himself to stand.

Melissa got to her feet, waiting for him.

"Thanks, again, for helping me." He smiled as he caringly rubbed her shoulder.

"Anytime." Melissa tiptoed, wrapping her arms around him, and then gave him a tight squeeze. Stefan hugged her back. As they slowly pulled away from each other, Melissa kissed Stefan on the cheek. He simply looked at her, surprised by her sweet gesture.

"Goodnight, Melissa." He quickly kissed her cheek back and then went to his room, not thinking any more about what just happened.

Stefan left his door open. Melissa cracked hers. She turned off the light and lied down in bed. Stefan did the same. He lay in bed, smiling up at the ceiling. He couldn't figure out why he was so happy. Their trip was a bust.

Melissa lay in bed, feeling the same, happy about a trip to Florida that led to nothing.

They both lied in bed for over an hour, and still they couldn't fall asleep.

"Hey Stefan!"

"Hey Melissa!"

They laughed.

"I can't sleep," she said.

"It's probably all that caffeine you consumed today," he replied.

"You feel like talking, or should I spell myself to sleep?" she laughed.

Stefan flashed into her room, straight into her bed, and lied perfectly beside her.

Melissa screamed and fell out of bed.

Stefan leaned over the mattress, laughing down at her. "Uh, Melissa."

"Huh…what…oooh," she answered, still slightly laughing.

"You live in a house full of vampires, and you act like me flashing in to your room is brand new."

She burst at the seams with amusement.

The next morning, Stefan and Melissa were boarding a plane for home, while Abby Bennett-Wilson was about to exit a plane right outside of Mystic Falls. She sat in her seat, smiling at the picture Sheriff Forbes had texted her of her granddaughter.

.o .O. o.

It was the day of Bonnie's and Damon's wedding rehearsal and dinner. Caroline came over at the break of dawn, preparing the boarding house for their guest.

Damon and Tyler were still avoiding one another and all the hustle and bustle of the house made it easy for them to do.

"Ah, fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" Caroline slapped the countertop with her hand over and over again.

"Easy there, love," said Enzo. "What's wrong?"

"Caroline, will you quit cursing in front of my child," scolded Damon.

"Said the father who's always cursing around his child," replied Stefan.

"I left the runner I wanted to use for the dinner table at home."

"Well, let's go get the runner. There's still plenty of time," Enzo said.

"Are you sure you and Caroline have enough time, Enzo? The dinner is in ten hours; ten hours! I'd say you guys are cutting it pretty damn close," joked Damon. Everyone laughed.

"Shut up," Caroline shot back.

"Oh, can I come aunt, Caroline?"

"Sure, pumpkin."

"Every time someone says go, Natasha, you want to go, too."

"Ah, mom, please."

"Okay, you can go, but you better tell Tyler you're leaving. He'll be worried sick about you." Bonnie smiled.

"Actually…I had a long talk with Tyler, and from now on, he's going to hang out more with Melissa and stop being so worried about me. It's time," she said and then smiled over at her uncle Stefan. He winked back at her.

"Oh, you did? Well that was nice of you," Bonnie replied.

"I'm a nice person, you know."

"Get out of here, you little munchkin." Bonnie and Damon laughed.

"Bye, mommy and daddy. See you in a bit."

"We'll be back in ten hours," said Enzo.

They all laughed, except Caroline who wasn't amused.

Caroline, Enzo, and Natasha left. Stefan, Lucy, Bonnie, Damon, Tupac, and Zinnia sat around the kitchen still drinking coffee and eating breakfast.

"Lucy, how are things?" Stefan asked, leaning against the counter.

Bonnie and Damon looked at each other, concerned. They knew that something was going on with the couple, though Stefan was being hush, hush about it. Bonnie knew a little more than Damon because Lucy had told her that she needed some space, but Lucy wouldn't go into further detail about what had really happened between them.

"Things are okay, Stefan. How are things with you?"

"They're great!"

"Melissa, told me things didn't work out the way you had hoped during your trip to Florida."

"No, they didn't."

"That night you spent away from home, you were with Melissa?" Damon asked, perturbed.

"We just went to Florida to track down someone, Damon. We stayed in different rooms. Tyler was okay with us going. Why aren't you? You have a big mouth, Lucy."

"Great." Lucy let out a frustrated sigh. Zinnia and Tupac looked at each other and shrugged.

"Zinnia, Tupac, I hate that you guys are leaving after the wedding. I wish you could stay longer," Bonnie said, trying to change the subject and the mood in the room.

"I wish I could stay longer, too, but I miss my children. The longer I'm away from them, the worse I feel," replied Zinnia.

"I'll get it," Stefan said angrily after hearing the doorbell. He marched to the front door, grumbling under his breath "It's bad enough you dumped me. Now you want to tell all my business. Really?"

Stefan opened the door to none other than Hayden who had a gift in hand.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He frowned.

"Uh, hi, Stefan. I came by to give Bonnie and Damon a wedding gift, and to formally apologize for my part in the entire mess with Shing."

"That's all well and good, but how the hell did you know about their wedding?" Stefan asked and then instantly remembered Hayden's and Lucy's affiliation to each other. "Oh."

"Stefan, please, I didn't come here to start trouble."

"Hayden?" Lucy questioned as she came walking in to the foyer.

"…and it gets better." Stefan rolled his eyes. "Did she tell you that she broke up with me while she was telling you about my brother's wedding?"

"Stefan, stop," Lucy warned.

Hayden shifted nervously on his feet.

"You're acting your age, Stefan."

"Isn't he almost a two hundred year old vampire?" Hayden raised his brow curiously.

"No, he's seventeen, and too young for me."

"Technically, he's older than you Lucy. It's not his fault that he was trapped in his teenaged body, he's still aged hypothetically though not literally."

"Thank you! Thank you, Hayden!" Stefan yelped excitedly.

"Not you, too, Hayden?"

He flashed her a shy grin.

"Next you two will be asking me to join you in a threesome."

"I'm in," Stefan teased and flashed her a smoldering glance.

"Lucy! My god, why would you say that?" Hayden fussed.

"I'm joking, Hayden." Lucy and Stefan looked at each other and laughed at how serious Hayden was being.

"Hey, Hayden, sorry to give you so much trouble. Let me get Bonnie to invite you in so you can give them your gift." Stefan whipped out his phone, texting Bonnie.

"COME IN, HAYDEN!" Bonnie yelled from the back in of the house.

Hayden smiled at their exchange.

Stefan stepped aside, holding out his hand, directing Hayden inside.

They walked to the living area. Hayden looked around the room, shaking his head, impressed by the décor. The last time he was at their house, he wasn't able to come inside and appreciate their fine arts hanging on the walls and the expensive pieces that sat around the room.

Hayden and the other's turned around to the laughter of Melissa and Tyler as they came running down the stairs.

"What's up everybody? Who's this?" asked Tyler.

"Tyler, Melissa, this is Hayden," announced Lucy.

As Melissa and Tyler were about to greet Hayden, a resounding boom resonated throughout the home, and the front door came flying through the foyer to the back of the house.

Tyler took off for the door and wolfed up once seeing Kai and two wolves standing alongside him.

Kai said a quick chant, which knocked Tyler out and sent him crashing to the floor.

Stefan and the others hearing the commotion went to Tyler's aid. With a quick flick of Kai's wrist he put them out. He then whirled through the house as black vapor, reappeared, and put everyone remaining to sleep with one simple word. Bonnie, Damon, Zinnia, and Tupac dropped to the floor before they could even make it out to the others.

"Check the house," he commanded his brute force.

Kai held out a hand, which sent Melissa's and Lucy's bodies sliding over to him. He leaned down, gripped their shoulders, and then syphoned away their magic. In the kitchen, Bonnie's dark magic was awakening her. She slowly peeled open her eyes, seeing two strange men walking around the room. At the blink of eye, her body disappeared and reappeared, surprising her foe.

"Modus! Acendia!" the men went flying through the doors on fire, screaming. Bonnie then ran out to the living room.

Kai jumped up, catching her eye. His eyes raced down to her pregnant belly. He smirked.

"Somno!" Kai shouted, throwing up a hand. Bonnie fell to the floor, asleep.

Kai hurried over to her, but again, Bonnie's dark magic had awaken her, protecting her.

She fisted her hands, hitting Kai with a dose of unadulterated magic. He screamed as he slowly drifted to the floor, hemorrhaging.

"You, bitch," he uttered. "SOMNO! Modus!" Her body glided across the floor to him. He took her into his arms, gripped her belly, and began chanting with his lips against her warm, tawny cheek.

Bonnie came to, yet again, hitting her foe with another concentrative wave of power, but Kai didn't fold this time. He ignored the pain, pulled out a pocket knife, and stabbed her in the neck. She cried out in agony. Her friends remained sound asleep, not hearing her blood curdling scream and cry for help.

"SOMNO! SOMNO! SOMNO! SLEEP YOU BITCH! SLEEEEEEP!" Kai let out a maddening scream, willing Bonnie to obey him.

She collapsed in his arm, blood gushing from her neck. Kai chanted profusely. He tried taking her power as well as the baby's. Bonnie's magic refused him, but he kept chanting, seeing her stomach began to shrink thrilled him.

Luna, who was on the other side of town, screamed at the top of her lungs as her belly began to grow.

"Nooo! Oh, god. What is this?!" she shrieked. She had no idea that Kai was going to do this monstrous thing to her.

After Kai finished the spell, he let Bonnie's body drop to the floor. He looked around the room, seeing what he had done. He then looked down at Bonnie's body, his chest heaving. His eyes widened at seeing her healing so quickly.

"I've got to get out of here." He started jogging to the front door and then disappeared into thin air.

Bonnie slowly opened her eyes. She felt her belly. Her senses told her something was wrong.

"No," she whispered, horrified. She slowly sat up, rubbing her stomach more vigorously. "No. no, no, no, no. Oh god, not my baby boy." Bonnie rocked on the floor. Her silent sobbing turned into a haunting song of total devastation. She let out a scream so powerful every window in the house shattered and everyone in the house came to.

Damon woke up, disoriented, not seeing Bonnie, but seeing shards of glass and scorched wood. "Bonnie! Bonnie!" he flashed to the living room, seeing her covered in blood, and crying on the floor.

"Bonnie," he whispered, disturbed. "He took my baby," she violently cried.

Damon heard the words come out of her mouth, but he was sure he hadn't clearly heard her right.

"What did you say?" he asked dejectedly.

Bonnie couldn't say it again. She simply wailed louder.

Normally Damon would spring straight into action and go after his enemy, but he stood there, paralyzed with a numbing devastation.

Everyone else were frantically moving about but to Bonnie and Damon, it was as if they weren't there at all.

"Lucy!" Hayden ran to her aid, helping her to sit, and then took her into his arms.

Stefan could hear Lucy getting all the attention she needed from Hayden, so he kept his focus elsewhere. He crawled over to Melissa, sweeping his fingers over her soft, warm arm as she lay there, and then he caressed her cheek with the pad of his thumb, trying to wake her. She opened her eyes; he helped her to sit.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, what happened?" she asked confused.

Stefan wanted to be there for Melissa, but he simply could not ignore what was happening with Bonnie and Damon.

"Here, just rest a bit?" he directed her back to the couch and then ran over to Bonnie.

"Bonnie," he delicately called, his hand on her shoulder.

Melissa begin to wonder where Tyler was. She looked around her, not seeing him. She quickly stood, shouting his name, "Tyler! Tyler!" she spotted a black wolf in the foyer. "Tyler." She knew exactly who it was. The wolf whimpered and then lied down, whimpering some more.

"Tyler, they're gone. You can turn back now."

He whimpered more loudly. "Tyler, turn back." Melissa began to cry.

Damon finally started to come to life. He walked over to Bonnie, having an out of body experience as he watched himself walk over to her. He mindlessly drifted down to the floor, unconsciously wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and cradled her into him. She was still crying, but all Damon could hear was his own heart breaking, shattering into nothing but flecks of dust.

Stefan looked at Tyler and Melissa and then at Bonnie and Damon. He collapsed back against the wall, traumatized. "God. No, please."


	32. Chapter 32: A Family Affair part I

_**A/N:**_ I hadn't planned on doing any of the shows story lines or plots, but I've decide to incorporate some of what the TVD writers did in season 6 into this story. It all kind of seem to fit with what's going on with my subplot now. I've also added Sarah Salvatore. I was really curious about where hers and Damon's story was going, but once again, they dropped another semi good idea.

After being asked about my premise (which was for another story ~ LOL) I realized I haven't really played off the line that I have on the artwork made for this story, which reads, "Love can transcend time and space.' I want to play off that a little more. I want to answer that question. Can love transcend time and space?

I'm updating part II of this today as well. Both Chapters have a pretty good length.

All right, enjoy these two chapters, please. Next week is my birthday, so I hope that I can make someone happy, very intrigued, and excited for more.

Please leave a review! 3

Some plots and characters are owned by the CW.

**Oblivion Chapter 32: A Family Affair part I**

Damon woke up, disoriented, not seeing Bonnie, but seeing shards of glass and scorched wood. "Bonnie!" he flashed to the living room, seeing her covered in blood, and crying on the floor. He ran over to her and knelt down beside her.

"Bonnie, what the hell happened?" he asked, disturbed.

"He took my baby," she cried.

Damon heard what she was saying, but he couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that someone would take his son.

"What did you say?" he asked dejectedly.

Bonnie couldn't say it again. She simply wailed louder.

Normally Damon would spring straight into action and go after his enemy, but he sat there, paralyzed with a numbing devastation.

Everyone else were frantically moving about, but to Bonnie and Damon it was as if they weren't there at all.

"Lucy!" Hayden went to her, taking her into his arms.

Stefan could hear Lucy getting all the attention that she needed from Hayden, so he put his focus elsewhere. He crawled over to Melissa, sweeping his fingers over her soft, shoulder as she lay there. He caressed her cheek with the pad of his thumb, trying to wake her. She opened her eyes.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, what happened?" she asked confused.

Stefan wanted to be there for Melissa, but he simply couldn't ignore what was happening with Bonnie and Damon.

"Here, just rest a bit?" he directed her to sit back against the couch and then he ran over to Bonnie.

"Bonnie," he delicately called, his hand on her shoulder.

Melissa begin to wonder where Tyler was. She looked around the room but couldn't find him. She quickly stood, shouting his name, "Tyler! Tyler!" she spotted a black wolf in the foyer. "Tyler." She knew exactly who it was. The wolf whimpered and then laid down, whimpering some more.

"Tyler, they're gone. You can turn back now."

He whined more loudly.

"Tyler, turn back." Melissa began to cry.

_I can't._ Tyler whispered within, hoping Melissa could hear him.

Damon finally started to come back to reality. He unconsciously wrapped an arm around Bonnie's shoulders and held her in his limp arms, having an out of body experience as he felt himself holding her, and seeing nothing but a foggy haze in front of him. She was still crying, but all Damon could hear was his own heart breaking, shattering into nothing but flecks of dust.

Stefan looked at an overwhelmed Melissa and then at a devastated Bonnie and Damon. He collapsed back against the wall, traumatized.

"Lucy, are you okay?" Hayden asked.

"Yeah, but something feels off." She could feel the change in her body. She had been a full on witch for two decades. She was very familiar with what it felt like to have magic churning inside of her. She stared at the mahogany coffee table as if it held the key to some mysterious dark secret, thinking about what was different about her. She took a long blink, bringing herself back to awareness as she felt Hayden's fingers fluttering across her cheek.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, again.

Lucy nodded and then gave him a tiny grin.

"Bonnie, what happened?" Stefan still really didn't know what truly happened to Bonnie and Damon, but he knew it was something horrific because she was still crying and Damon was still frozen in the same position, looking out into the room with a faraway look in his eyes.

Lucy and Hayden finally realized that there were other people in the room besides them. Lucy looked over to the married couple and Stefan. Hayden's eyes followed.

"That monster took my baby." Bonnie turned to face Stefan, finally answering him.

"Fuck!" Stefan grunted. "No. No! NO!" he repeated, louder each time as if it would change things.

"You guys, Tyler can't morph back into his human body!" Melissa shouted, jogging over to them.

"They took the baby," Stefan answered devastatingly.

"What? No!" Melissa's voice cracked.

"Oh, my god! We need to get her to a hospital," was Hayden's first response. Take care of the patient's physical needs first, and then think about their state of mind second was the doctor's thinking.

"She doesn't need to go to a doctor, you idiot! We need to go find this fucker and kill him!"

"No, no, there's a spell for this! We can get the baby back! It's in my journal! Let's take care of Bonnie, first, next Tyler, and then will annihilate the son of a bitch who did this to us. We need to be at our full strength before striking back," Lucy commanded.

"Where's your book?" Hayden quickly turned to her, an anxious look on his face.

"On top of the sofa table under my purse!"

"Come on, Bonnie. Let's get you to the couch."

"What…what…what are we doing?" Damon asked, returning from lands unknown as he felt Bonnie being whisked away from his arms.

"Okay," Bonnie replied vaguely as Stefan helped her to stand. "I can't believe he took my baby. Why would someone want to take my baby?" she said dreamily. The excruciating pain toiling away inside of her was all too much to bear, but she had felt a similar pain in her life time on more than one occasion many times before. When she died. When she watched her father being murdered, and when Jeremy was killed right before her very eyes, but this time things were so very different.

This was her child, and though the heartache she felt was crippling to the point that it stopped her dead in her tracks, she had to get her baby back. She had to keep going, for him, for Damon, and for Natasha.

Bonnie looked over at Damon. He held onto her as if she were too heavy to anchor. Stefan was doing all the heavy lifting.

Damon's brain could only compute one thing, he lost his son.

_I lost my son._ The words played over and over in his mind like a broken record. He still had not fully registered the total situation. His brain couldn't even comprehend how the mother who had a whole child stolen from her womb felt or the fact that the mother of said child was the woman he was madly and insanely in love with. If he allowed himself to take in the entire scope of their circumstances, he'd probably go nuclear, or he'd turn off his emotions all together, but he had to be stronger than that now.

"Tyler, come on. We're going to fix you," said Melissa.

Tyler sluggishly got up from off the floor. He trotted leisurely over to the middle of the room, standing beside the arm of the couch of where Damon and Stefan took Bonnie.

Hayden handed Lucy her journal and hurried out of the way.

"Oh, good." She flicked through the book speedily. She let out a loud sigh of relief after finding the right spell. "Okay Bonnie, this is a big one. Do you think you can help?"

Bonnie nodded.

"Melissa," Lucy called.

They gathered around Bonnie and then read over the spell a few times together. Lucy continued to ignore the nagging feeling in her gut, telling her that she was powerless. She was a prideful woman. Her magic was everything to her. It was the sun that rose and set on her back, the water she drank, and the food that she ate. It was everything around her, and if her magic was taken, it would return to her because it was hers.

"Okay, are we ready?"

Melissa and Bonnie nodded.

Bonnie peeled her hands away from her stomach which helped soothe her constricting muscles to join hands with Lucy and Melissa. Hayden looked at them suspiciously. He'd never been around a witch performing magic.

Stefan had a hopeful look in his eyes as he stood in the middle of the room, legs wide apart, and his hands on his hips. Damon sat on the floor beside Bonnie, timorously holding her hands as he looked absorbedly at her.

Lucy led the chant. Bonnie and Melissa unexcitedly chimed in to help. They said their mantra of words a few times, louder and louder their voices grew. Hayden looked around the house at the flickering lights and at the candles that lit one after the other.

Bonnie didn't feel an electrical current flowing between them like when she normally chanted with a fellow comrade. They recited the spell for over twenty minutes, still nothing changed, and Bonnie still didn't feel energy flowing between them. She opened her eyes, still emptily chanting to please Lucy. She watched the minute hand roll from the three on the clock to the six when she decided to stop.

"Lucy," Bonnie croaked out, halting their incantation.

"I know Bonnie. He's added some protective spell."

Melissa looked drearily down at her hands. She then held them over the spell book, "Modus." The book didn't move. "Modus," she said again. "Modus," she said more determined than the last time. "Lucy," she whispered, horrified.

"What's wrong? Why didn't the spell work?" Damon questioned desperately. Seeing that there was a glimmer of hope and now there was none, broke him.

"Melissa! Stay focused. We need to help, Tyler." Lucy grabbed her grimoire from off the table and begin searching through it, again, this time in search for an enchantment to help Tyler.

"Lucy," Bonnie called hoarsely.

"No, Bonnie!" Lucy slammed the book down on the table and then stood over the wolf. Tyler looked up to her, his tongue wagging. She began to chant, this time alone. Melissa and Bonnie choked back sobs as it pained them to see Lucy in this state.

She chanted and chanted, but not even a flicker of light emerged.

"Lucy," Hayden called somberly. He walked over to her and rested his head on top of hers. Lucy finally conceded.

Stefan dazed at Lucy with a wretched look in his eyes.

"Lucy, we'll get your powers back, and Melissa's too."

"…but isn't there something you can do for Tyler, now?"

"I can try, but I'm almost certain I can't reverse what he's done," Bonnie struggled to get up. Damon slowly stood, giving her a hand.

"Bonnie, are you sure you should be doing this?" asked Damon.

"If I do this for, Tyler. It will at least give me some peace." She smiled, waiting for one of his snarky comebacks or for him to strongly protest, but nothing. He merely looked at her like he was still trying to process things.

"I'll be okay." Bonnie imparted, caressing his chiseled jaw with her thumb, and then put her focus back on Tyler.

She picked up the grimoire, stood over the black wolf, and began to speak the incantation.

_Please let this work._ Tyler hoped with all his heart.

The evidence of Bonnie's power manifested itself ever so stalwartly. There was not a doubt in anyone's mind that she couldn't fix Tyler. Hope begin to return to them once seeing Bonnie in action. She had created so many miracles for them in the past that there was not a doubt in their minds that she couldn't do it now, but as quickly as that hope had returned it swiftly dwindled.

Bonnie recited her summons for fifteen long minutes. Seeing that Tyler was still a wolf, prompted her to stop going. I'm sorry, Tyler," she said remorsefully.

_No. _Tyler was heartbroken.

Melissa plopped down on the couch, grief-stricken. Tyler came over to her, resting his head on her lap, trying to comfort her.

Bonnie soon fell weak due to the overwhelming changes her body had gone through in such a short time. She began sinking to the floor, but Damon was there, like always, catching her before she hit rock bottom, metaphorically and literally.

"I got you," he said seriously, clutching her firmly in his grasp. He kissed her forehead, letting his lips linger as he closed his eyes.

Hayden rushed over, touching Bonnie's forehead, checking for fever. "We need to get you to a hospital. You need to be examined. I need to see what kind of damage was caused from the baby being extracted in such a cruel manner. God knows what that deranged man did to you," Hayden explained adamantly. His concern for Bonnie was the first thing that had resonated with Damon since Kai had made his grand exit.

"He's right, Bonnie. For all we know, the baby could still be inside of you and this is some sick twisted game this guy is playing in order to cause more harm."

Bonnie nodded, "I agree."

Damon picked Bonnie up bridal style. Hayden's arm blanketed them in a protective manner as he towered over them. He then looked worriedly back at Lucy, "Are you coming?"

"No, I'm going to stay here, see if I can figure out what type of hex this lunatic used on us. Take care of Bonnie. She's all the hope we have left." She forced herself to smile as she brushed her upper arms with her fingers, feeling insecure.

A disappointed look crossed Hayden's face. He was all too familiar with how Lucy was. How she would feign being totally fine when inside she'd be falling apart. He also knew that once he gave her time to reflect on her qualms, she'd be ready to talk his head off or scream at the top of her lungs once recognizing her true feelings on the matter.

"Okay, but I'll be back, and don't even think about trying to push me away."

"Hurry back," Lucy replied.

Stefan leaned against the fire place, rolling his eyes at their exchange. He cared, but not really. Deep down, he felt like Hayden should've given him some type of respect while in his house, but just as quick as that petty thought entered his head, it went away, because they all had bigger problems right now.

Damon shot Stefan a peculiar glance. _What was that? _He mouthed.

Stefan shrugged. Damon rolled his eyes and then left with Hayden and Bonnie.

.o .O. o.

Bonnie lay on the exam table being thoroughly examined by Hayden. He was thrilled to be doing what he loved doing the most, treating people, and making them better. He was also elated by the fact that he still knew how to compel people as he had to compel one person after another to get them into a hospital room, alone, and all the equipment he needed to give Bonnie a proper checkup.

After taking a sample from Bonnie, he tenderly felt around over her belly, checking for pain. He then did an ultrasound.

They all looked at the screen intensely, hoping for the best, but to their great dismay, there was no baby in Bonnie's womb.

Tears immediately streamed down her cheeks. Damon looked down on her with sadness, clutching her hand tightly. Hayden looked at them indifferently, hiding the sorrow that he felt for the pairing. Despite the horrific beating that they had given him days before, he still felt compassion for them.

"You two hang tight while I go compel us up some results on these samples," he said and then smiled.

Bonnie returned him a timorous grin.

Hayden left the room, leaving them alone and with their racing thoughts. Bonnie stared out into the atmosphere. Damon looked down at her with a faraway look in his blue eyes.

"I'm sorry about the baby," she said remorsefully.

"It's not your fault, Bonnie. There's no need to apologize." He swept his fingers across her forehead.

"I know in my heart we'll find him."

"He's probably long gone by now," he murmured.

"Don't say that, Damon. I know Shing's friend is the one that has our baby, and when I see her…" Bonnie's green eyes turned icy cold as she puckered her lips tightly together, imagining what she was going to do to Luna.

"We don't know that, Bonnie."

"Yes, we do." Bonnie widened her eyes, astonished by Damon's comment. "I could've defeated him. How did I let him get the best of me?" She changed the subject. She didn't want to entertain Damon's remark or his self-pitying attitude.

Damon traced his fingers around the dried up blood on her neck, looking at it and her bloody clothes with a scrutinizing gaze. "What happened to you?"

"He stabbed me," she replied.

"…and you healed yourself?" he asked unbelievingly, his eyes narrowing.

"Yes, it's a trick I learned from using dark magic."

"Nice." He gave her a sweet smile.

"He fights dirty that's how he was able to defeat you, Bonnie. If we should cross paths with him again, you have to fight dirty too?"

"What do you mean, 'If,' Damon? We will see him, again. I'm getting my baby back, and if you don't believe our son is still out there, alive, then don't bother coming with me." She snatched her hand away from his, glowering up at his tentative face.

Damon looked at the palm of his now free hand for a second and then leaned against the cabinet, feeling miserable.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Damon?"

He didn't answer her right away. He began to pace in front of the counter. He hit the top of it, causing everything to catapult up into the air, and then it all came crashing back down on the countertop, spilling over, spiraling, and wasting out of its containers.

Hayden had picked this moment to enter the room.

"He took our baby, Bonnie! He took a whole baby! How does one find a motherfucker who takes a baby from its mother's womb?!" he yelled energetically, his face red with wild eyes. "…and I don't like that Hayden's hands were all in and over your vagina! Meredith is right down the damn hall!"

"Eh, hm." Hayden cleared his throat. "I have the results."

"Ugh, I'm so nervous, and I'm sorry you had to hear that." Bonnie rolled her eyes at Damon.

Damon leaned over the counter, black veins swimming across his face and red strains in his eyes.

"Don't be nervous. There's no foreign DNA in your body. Any future children you have will be yours." Hayden smiled.

"Thank god!" Bonnie let out a soft sob that turned into full on crying. Everything was all too much, losing her baby, her friend being spelled to be a werewolf indefinitely, and her temperamental husband, but hearing that her enemy had not hijacked her womb gave her a tiny bit of relief.

Damon on the other hand, still couldn't find a tad of relief nor happiness.

.o .O. o.

Kai marched through the front door of his and Luna's new place. She grabbed a vase and hurled it at him.

He whipped his head around to see the vase hitting the place just inches away from his head.

"You're welcome," he said coldly.

"You're welcome? Are you kidding me! You put a baby in me without my consent."

"Oh, so you rather I left the baby there with its mommy? The baby that holds the key to all your future plans, like ruling the world and the Universe!"

"No, I expected you to cut the child out of her and rip its mother's heart out! You could have kept the child alive with your magic!"

"Well, I didn't feel like killing her, okay?!"

"You didn't feel like killing her? Do you not remember me telling you that she and her little family are the only things standing in the way of us having everything we want?"

"I'll kill Bonnie and her brat when the time is right!" Kai couldn't admit that since he had merged with his brother, he was feeling a little squeamish about killing people, especially people he found beautiful and intriguing like Bonnie.

"Did you at least...take her powers?"

"NO! The bitch wouldn't let me! You…being the all-seeing and knowing should've known that!"

Luna shot him a dirty look.

"Can you even see what Bonnie's plans are, because it seems to me you would've told me about the fact that she practices dark magic and that her powers are unattainable?"

Luna shifted her eyes to the ground, shamefaced. Kai grew suspicious of her reaction to his comment. He walked over to her, grabbed her chin, and made her look him in the eye.

"You can't see what Bonnie's going to do." He paused. "Sure you can see the boring mundane shit she does around the house, but you can't see what she's up to or what she's capable of, can you?"

"I can see her powers, and I can see what her kids are capable of, too, and I know that they're a lot stronger than you," she spat, slapping his hands from her face.

"Does Bonnie Bennett kill me?"

"You have many victories over Bonnie and her group of friends. You can defeat her. I can still give you the advantage," she said unsurely as she slowly backed away from him.

Kai gripped her hard by the chin, again, and put his hand on her pregnant belly. He closed his eyes, chanting.

"No! No!" Luna screamed.

After he finished cursing the baby, he shoved her out of his face.

"What did you do?" she said, her breathing hitched.

"I bought me a little insurance policy. If Bonnie kills me, then her baby dies, too. You better get your facts straight, or lose both your meal tickets."

Luna was digging her grave deeper and deeper, but she was too fulsome and too greedy to stop now.

"No, I can't see what Bonnie conjures up! There's a dark cloud around her, protecting and shielding her from me, but I have a backup plan. While living with Hayden, I had him fill pouches with his blood to take back home to create an army of my own of people like him. In my apparitions I saw you take control of this town with a group of vampires. With Hayden's blood you can create the army I saw you with in my visions. They will help you weaken Bonnie's defenses. We will defeat them."

Kai looked at her for a moment. He never imagined that he'd meet a woman who was beautiful and just as sick as him. Now he wasn't sure if he wanted to fuck Luna or be afraid of her.

"Bitch, you're crazy. I just want to be powerful, maybe get a little attention, but you want world domination."

"Do you want his blood or not?!" she screamed.

"What the hell am I going to do with a bunch of new vampires?" he yelled, throwing his hands in the air.

He glared at her. She glowered at him. She was out of options.

"No, I know just who to get. People who are just as power hungry as you." he evilly grinned. "Tomorrow, I'm taking a little trip."

"Where are you going?"

"What, you can't see where I'm going?" He smarted off.

"You're right, Kai. I do want world domination, and something tells me you won't mind it either, but neither of us will accomplish anything if you kill the baby, so lift the damn curse?"

"Un, un, un." He waved his finger at the naughty girl. "You said I could have the baby's powers, but now you want the baby for yourself. You want to take it back home with you and leave me here to die, and here I thought you wanted to be my friend. I'm very disappointed in you, Luna."

She stood there for a second, thinking. She then walked over to him. He slightly backed away, uncomfortable with her lustful eyes and seductive stroll. She took his face into her hands, smirking.

"No queen wants to rule alone, but in order for our partnership to work, we have to trust one another, and hurting the baby…our baby." She grabbed his hand and pressed it against her belly. "Wouldn't it be better to have a son who walks alongside his father and you conquer the world together?"

Kai looked down at her belly, a wondering look in his eyes. _I could be the dad I wished my father was to me._ _I could have a family. I'm so fucked up though. No wait, Kai. Why does she want you in her life? Don't trust her Kai. She just wants to use you to escape with the baby and its power. If you live, then so can the baby. Don't let her dupe you. _

"Trust has to be earned, not giving." Kai snatched away from her, a serious look in his eyes.

Luna took a long blink and swallowed. She was disappointed that her feminine wise couldn't fool Kai or make him putty in her hands. It was the first time, ever- Luna had to work for a man's trust and his affection.

"Hey! Hey!" Kai snapped his fingers in her face. "We've got work to do."

He marched away. Luna watched him with a mortified look on her face. _What have I done?_

.o .O. o.

Bonnie, Hayden, and Damon made it back home to find Caroline stressed out. Natasha crying and worried about her mommy, and Enzo and Elena, standing there looking like their dog had died.

Jeremy, Matt, and Alaric were there too, looking awkwardly out of place.

"Momma! Daddy!" Natasha bolted to her parents, leaping into Bonnie's arms, forgetting about a baby that was or wasn't there, sobbing.

"It's okay, baby. Everything's going to be okay," said Bonnie trying to soothe her upset child.

Damon stroked her hair and kissed the side of her face. He was anxious to have Natasha in his arms. He couldn't let anything happen to his baby girl, too.

Natasha could feel her father lightly tugging at her shirt. She looked at him, seeing that things weren't quite right with him. "You sad about my brother? It'll be all right, daddy. We'll get him back. Me, you, and momma. No one can stop us. Remember?"

"I wish that were true baby girl."

"Bonnie, I'm so sorry," said Caroline. "Oh, Bonnie," said Elena. The girls put their arms around Bonnie, squeezing her tightly. Tears begin to stream down their faces, making Bonnie cry all over again.

Damon took Natasha and they walked to the living room. He sat down in the chair, sitting his daughter in his lap as he looked blankly at the mantel. Natasha looked at her father and then rested her head on his chest, feeling overwhelmed about their situation.

Damon listened as Bonnie went over in detail about what happened to them with Caroline and Elena. The others listened in on their conversation.

Hayden looked around the living room for Lucy. He hurried up to her quarters, spotting her sitting on the floor with a candle and her grimoire, trying to light the wick. He walked over and sat down in front of her.

"Hey, any luck?" he inquired, not knowing what else to say in this moment, but not realizing how insensitive his inquiry sounded.

"What do you care? You never wanted to be with a witch anyway. You're probably ecstatic to see me powerless," she responded nastily.

Hayden frowned, not appreciating her cynicism. "That's not who I am anymore. I love you, woman, with or without your powers, so help me god, I will avenge you."

Lucy stopped what she was doing. She looked up to see Hayden's amber eyes starring a hole in hers. She loved it when he bucked up to her. It was a major turn on for her. She couldn't wait to see him go full on vampire, to see him be his true self.

"You'll avenge me, huh?" she gave him a cocky smirk.

"Yes, with my life," he said seriously.

Lucy was pleased with his answer, but she couldn't stay contented for long. Knowing that she was powerless and that she couldn't aid Bonnie in her war against their new foe, tore her apart inside and made her feel a little envious of Bonnie. She pushed her face into her hands and began to cry. "I'm nothing."

Hayden crawled over to her, resting a hand behind her back, leaning into her. "That's not true, Lucy." He paused.

She became more attentive as she leaned into him, so close that her shoulder was touching his.

"You may be without your powers for now, but this won't always be the case. You're good at other things too besides being a witch."

"Like what?" she asked.

"I remember when you use to come home and talk about how you had taught Melissa and Cassie new makeup tips, new decorating ideas, or how to make those little tweed bracelets. Granted, I didn't know at the time that you were really teaching them magic, and I never questioned why you hadn't introduced me to them." He chuckled.

"…but teaching them made you happy. You're a master of your craft, Lucy. I'm sure there are things Bonnie is going to need your help with. She's going to need you more now than ever if she wants to find her child."

"Yeah, I guess you're right, but being the older witch between Melissa, Bonnie, and Cassie made me feel..."

"Having your powers made you feel like the head witch in charge."

"Yeah, something like that." She tittered. "Now Bonnie will not only be stronger than me, she'll be like the lead witch."

He let out a deep chuckle, almost tumbling over as he animatedly laughed.

"This is not funny, Hayden."

"Ok, you're right." He tried to compose himself.

"The way I see it, you're both Bennett witches, and you're both bad asses. That should be your thinking too."

"You're amazing. You know that?"

"I know, but it's nice to hear it every once in a while," he said, looking at her wantonly.

Lucy looked up at Hayden, smiling, not believing that he was there with her, and talking to her about being a witch. "Is this real? Are we really here talking as witch and vampire?"

"Yes, yes we are."

She looked at him with longing, becoming more serious. He swallowed nervously and began to lean into her as he closed his eyes. She closed her eyes too, almost bursting at the seams with eagerness to kiss the lips of the man that she loved with every fiber of her being.

Hayden's soft, full lips pressed into her luscious ones. He kissed her sensually, feeling the heat building between them as their kiss became more fervent. They both continued, clamping their lips under and over the top of each other's when Lucy's body began to yearn for more of him. She pulled away from the kiss, her hand on his chest. She wanted to do more than just lip lock with Hayden, but she wouldn't dream of disrespecting Stefan.

"Hayden we shouldn't, and this really isn't my room anymore."

"Mhm, we shouldn't do what, and this used to be your bedroom?" he looked around the room, impressed.

"We shouldn't…you know…have sex."

Hayden softly chuckled, "Oh, my dear, sweet, dirty Lucy, always with her mind in the gutter."

"Hey!" She slapped him repeatedly on the chest. They laughed. A little happiness began to return to Lucy on what started out being a god forsaken day.

Downstairs, Damon was looking out the patio doors at Melissa who was standing on the steps, calling to a barking and snarling Tyler. He was mad at the man before, and now here he was sadden by Tyler's condition.

_Melissa, please go away. Stop following me. I need privacy. I have to use the bathroom. Well, a tree. Why did he turn me into this animal? Why couldn't you fix me, Bonnie? Natasha, can you hear me? Somebody, please. _

"Tyler, I'm not going to leave you, please come here!"

Damon pushed the patio door open and walked outside. "Let him be, Melissa."

"No, he needs me."

"What he needs is to potty and some privacy. He can't handle his business because you're all frantic," Damon scolded.

"Oh, okay," she said, shamefaced. "Go Tyler. I'll be right here."

Tyler barked at Damon, wagging his tail, and then took off.

"How did you know?" she asked.

"He was snarling at you, Melissa! Are you really that fucking clueless? What guy snarls at his girlfriend for no reason unless something is wrong?"

"You don't have to be so cruel. You're not the only person who lost someone special today."

"Are you kidding me right now? I lost a child! All you've lost is a warm body to snuggle up to at night, and besides, Tyler's still here. He can be fixed, eventually, so come to me when you have a real dilemma." Damon walked off, closing the door behind him.

Melissa floated down to the stairwell, feeling even more disappointed in herself.

Damon came back inside and stormed off to his room. Bonnie watched him as he marched upstairs. She and the others were discussing ways of finding and defeating Kai. Alaric had come by some information about Kai and pictures of him as well in his search to find Jo's and her family's murderer. Once Bonnie confirmed that the picture of the man was indeed Kai, Bonnie felt a little more hopeful about finding him and her son.

She excused herself from the group and ran upstairs to see about Damon. She walked in to their room to find him standing at the window with his arms crossed and legs spread wide apart. She could see his jaw clicking from a mile away. She walked up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist, and held him snuggly as she rested her head against his back.

"Mm, my big strong guy and the father of my beautiful children."

Damon didn't say anything. He continued to brood.

"We're going to get our son back, Damon."

"You and I both know that he did away with our baby the minute after he took his power. We're never going to see or get to know our son."

Bonnie released Damon, whirling him around to her "Where is that Damon that fought so hard for his unborn child back in Gardenia because that's the Damon I need with me right now." Her imploring eyes burrowed into his.

"I'm still that Damon, but this is different. I knew where that baby was. She was inside of you, and safe, Bonnie, but he took our baby, he's gone. We're never going to get him back."

"You're just going to give up, lay down and die?"

"I didn't say that."

"…but that's how you're acting, Damon. What happened to all those things you said to Natasha about us being a force to be reckoned with?"

"I was wrong, Bonnie! There's nothing we can do!" he shouted.

She opened the drapes with a quick wave of her hand. "Give me your ring."

"What?" Damon frowned.

"Give me your ring," she said again, holding out her hand.

"The sun is shining right down on me, Bon Bon," he timidly fussed.

"I said, give me your ring," she said grabbing his hand and pulling at his ring.

"Bonnie, no!" Damon said sternly as he tugged and pulled away from her.

Bonnie finally had his ring in her grasp, sliding it off his finger. Damon was frighten as he looked at her and at the sun blaring down on him. With one finally jerk, he freed his hand from her deathly grip with such force that Bonnie went stumbling back into the chest.

"Oh!" He flinched as he watched her stagger back against the armoire, knocking over their things. "I'm sorry, Bonnie, but what the hell," he said, confused.

"What the hell, Damon is your pessimistic and hopeless attitude, it's not helping our situation. If you're done, than be done, because my hope is the only thing keeping me going!"

"Well I don't have hope, Bonnie!" he snarled.

"You don't need hope to support me, Damon, and if you're not going to stand by my side, then leave because I'm done with your attitude, your sulking, and with you snapping at my friends!"

He looked at her for a moment, an aggrieved look on his face. "Really? You're done with me? Well I guess so, you did try to kill me." He wrapped his hand around his ring, shielding it from Bonnie.

"Ugh!" Bonnie couldn't believe Damon could think so low of her.

Losing their child was beginning to stress their relationship and it hadn't been a full day since disaster had struck. A small voice inside of Bonnie wondered if their love could handle the stress that came with living in Mystic Falls, and Damon started to wonder if they really had a transcending love like he had so desperately wanted. Underneath his tough exterior he believed in true love. He longed for real love.

"I could never let anything bad happen to you, Damon. I could never hurt you. I love you. How could you think that of me?" she paused. He lowered his head shamefully.

"I need you to be strong, Damon. You can't just take the easy way out by giving up or turning off your humanity."

"I'm not going to turn it off. I'm not going to abandon you and our daughter."

"Well stop saying these horrible and negative things. You could speak your awful beliefs into existence. Words have weight, Damon, and you're hurting me with the things you're saying about our son, my baby."

"Okay, Bon Bon. Tell me what you need and want from me, because I want to be here, making more memories with you and Natasha, whether good or bad. I want more fights, more making up, more everything, with you."

"I want you to stand by me, to be my warrior, my mate. When we get our son back, I want his daddy to be there with me."

Damon looked at Bonnie's aching face, feeling angry with himself for being such a jerk and not the man she needed and wanted him to be. He grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and kissed her hard on her soft lips. He sultrily pecked her lips as he cupped her face in his hands, rocking her in place.

"I'm with you. I'm always with you, Bonnie. I love you."

Bonnie released her repressed tears and frustration. "I wanted to give you a son. I wanted you to have that baby," she sobbed.

"Listen to me," he said his forehead to hers. "You're going to give birth to our child. You. I'm going to be your warrior. We're going to get our son back, together. I promise." Just like that, the tables had turned. Bonnie had given Damon hope and he quickly restored hers.

"I believe you." she laughed cried as Damon wiped the tears away from her face and smiled ever so sweetly down at her.

.o .O. o.

Even though Damon felt a little more hopeful after he and Bonnie had their little tiff, he was still so very infuriated about his son being taken. Damon couldn't tell Bonnie that he had indeed thought about turning it off his humanity and taking the easy way out, but it was his love for her and his little princess that kept him from doing just that, taking the easy way out.

He wandered in to the Grill, needing to release some steam and just be Damon, and not the domesticated man that he had come to adore.

He looked around the place for the perfect prey. Although he was a married man, he still desired to sink his teeth into something pretty. Damon smirked when he spotted a beauty with a freesia complexion, long hair, pouty lips, and an adorable bright smile, bearing a strong resemblance to Bonnie, sitting at the bar, chatting it up with Matt who was in his deputy's uniform. He shook his head and softly laughed at how shameless the man was flirting with the attractive woman that seemed way out of his league.

Damon went to the bar and ordered a drink, avoiding Matt. The last thing he wanted was the officer to vamp block him, especially when the wife had given him a pass to let off a little steam. He couldn't have anyone ruining that.

"_**Why don't you go out and release some of your pent up frustration."**_

"_**Are you saying I can go out and simply be a vampire?"**_

"_**Ugh, yes. I'm saying just that. I think it'll be good for you, so go find yourself some little college hottie, because I know it's your type." Bonnie smiled. Damon chuckled.**_

"_**Yeah, go have a drink and blow off some steam."**_

"_**You're sure? I really don't feel comfortable leaving you and Natasha alone right now, Bon Bon."**_

"_**I'm sure. You need to release some steam, Damon. I don't want you going nuclear on me. Besides, I've got to find a spell to help us defeat Malachi Parker and find our son. Natasha and I, will be fine. I love you. Now go before I change my mind."**_

"_**You're the best wife-ever, and I love you, too."**_

"_**MWAH! Mwah! mwah!" **_

Her juicy smooch echoed loudly in his head. He absentmindedly licked his lips, still tasting her peach lip gloss. Matt finally left the woman alone. He was saved by a crime in progress. He downed his bourbon in one take and then moseyed over to her, smiling.

"Hello, may I buy you another of what you're having?"

"Uh, sure. Long island ice tea." She smiled.

"Oh, you must plan on being here for a while."

She giggled. "Don't worry. I'm not driving."

"Oh, goodie." Damon ordered her drink and the bartender hurried it back to them.

"Why don't we go somewhere quiet and get to know each other a little better?" he compelled.

"Okay," she answered robotically.

He took her hand, kissed the back of it, giving her a smoldering look. She shyly smiled as she stood. He grabbed her drink and then walked her to a quiet little corner. The blanket of darkness outside and the dim lights inside made his little adventure more incognito.

Damon found a nice little nook for them, which wasn't too hard to do on a Wednesday night. He backed her up into the dark cramp space, a ravenous look in his eyes.

"You…you…you want to talk here?" the woman became edgy as Damon was getting to close for comfort.

_Mm, I better act fast. She's not the trusting kind._ "Don't be nervous, too loud, or scream. I won't hurt you." He smirked. "Tell me about yourself. What brings you here?" He used his power of compulsion once more.

He wrapped his arm around her waist, pushing his head into her neck as he extended his incisors, preparing himself to take a bite. He looked absorbedly at the pulsing vein in her neck for a spell, licking his lips. It had been so long since he had fed from a living soul. He feed from Bonnie mostly all the time back in Gardenia when life was good, but since they returned home, he went back to feeding from the ever faithful blood bag.

"Yes," he moaned with pleasure at seeing her blood coursing strongly through her vein. He then placed sensual kisses down her neck, paying homage to the all mighty artery.

"I'm Sarah Nelson. My father wrote me a letter when my mom was pregnant with me. My cousin instructed my adoptive parents to give me the letter once I turned twenty one, so here I am, in search of my cousin," she informed.

"Mhm, that's nice. Who's your cousin?" said Damon disinterestedly and then plunged his fangs into her soft flesh.

"Ahh, god. Yes." She let out a low, pleasurable moan as his suckling lips were pleasing to her tender skin.

"Stefan Salvatore."

Damon's eyes widened in horror. He withdrew his fangs, straightened himself, and then stared at her as if he had seen a ghost. His brain teleported to another place in time, to the day he had plunged his fangs into her mother, drinking from her until he took every drop. Immediately he saw Gail and Zach in the beautiful woman standing before him.

"Are you okay? You look really pale?"

"Forget this ever happened. You never saw me," he commanded, dilating his eyes. Her pupils enlarged and narrowed, signaling to him that his compulsion was successful. He took off, forgetting to heal her.

Damon walked quickly to the exit. He stopped at the door. He couldn't walk away. Suddenly his son being taking from him didn't make him feel victimized anymore. It made him feel like he deserved what had happened to him and that justice had been served. He closed his eyes for several seconds and then opened them. He turned around, watching Sarah as she sat back down at the bar.

He wanted to go back to her and tell her who he was. If it had been a year ago, when he was very much obsessed with Elena, he would have killed Sarah Nelson, ridding himself of his past failures, but now he was a new man, with a new life. He now had a good woman and a wonderful family. Unexpectedly he thought of how cool it would be to make that little family of his just one person bigger.

He walked back to the bar, up to her.

"Excuse me miss. Is this seat taken?"

"Oh, no, please sit down. I was just waiting for my friend to come back. His name is Matt Donovan. His a Deputy. Maybe you know him." She smiled.

"You know, Matt Donovan? What a small world. He's my wife's and my brother's best friend. Maybe you know them, Stefan and Bonnie Salvatore?" he asked, putting on his best poker face.

"Salvatore? You're a Salvatore? You know Stefan?!" She jumped out of her chair, excited.

"Yes, I'm a Salvatore. Damon Salvatore to be exact."

"Yikes!" she squealed, throwing her arms around him. Damon didn't know what to do as he let his hands hang in the air, not sure if he should hug the young woman whose mother he had murdered or not, but he did just that, hugged her, feeling completely scared out of his mind.

.o .O. o.

Damon returned home from the bar around nine thirty that night. He found Bonnie in their room, watching Natasha as she slept.

"Hey you," Bonnie greeted as he walked in to the room.

Damon was feeling so guilty that he didn't really have the heart to speak, "hey you," he said after kneeling down next to her chair. He leaned in for a kiss and Bonnie placed a chaste kiss on his lips and then smiled at him after pulling away.

"Oh, someone's hungry." He patted her belly. "You need to eat something."

"I know. Caroline and Hayden are whipping something up right now. None of us have eaten since breakfast."

"Yeah," Damon slightly nodded.

"Did you have fun on your, "Little," outing?"

He forced out a soft chuckle and then swallowed nervously.

"Yeah, I had fun, but listen, Bonnie. After all this stuff is over with. I need to tell you something and it's really bad."

"Oh." The light in Bonnie's eyes immediately slipped away. She became worried about his little outing. "What did you do, Damon?" She jumped up from the chair. "Please tell me you didn't go on a killing spree?"

"No. no. no. no. It's nothing like that." He quickly stood. "I was a good boy tonight. Scouts honor."

"Well what then?"

"I said I will tell you when all this shit is over with. We don't need to worry about anything else for now but our son, Tyler, and the two witches."

"Lucy and Melissa."

"You know what I mean."

"What…what…what do you have to tell me, is it bad for us?" Bonnie hesitated, a serious look in her eyes.

"I don't think it's bad for us, at least I don't think it's bad. It was something that happened in my past, back in nineteen ninety four."

"In ninety four?" Bonnie wrinkled her brow.

Damon's eyes widen at the inadvertent slip of his tongue.

"Did I say ninety four?"

Bonnie nodded.

"Oh, well yeah. It happened then, but it's okay. I think we'll be fine," he imparted coolly.

"Okay." She sighed in relief. "I'm so glad to hear that, because I seriously cannot take any more bad news."

Bonnie observed Damon for a second who looked like he was in deep thought.

He couldn't let go of what he had done to Sarah. Killing her mother and father. He now thought about this more than his missing child. He had only just met Sarah and saw that she was an extraordinary person. Her smile and personality could light up a room, and not only did what he had done to Sarah eat him up alive inside, but he had killed a pregnant woman. What he had done was no better than what this monster had done to his pregnant wife.

"Hey, don't worry about the past. Whatever it was that you did, I'm sure it'll be okay, so don't worry. Just focus on our son and our family. Everything will be fine."

"I know, but here's the thing. I can't stop thinking about what I did because tonight it just all hit me at once."

"You need to tell me what you did right now, Damon." She downright demanded.

"I said I'll tell you after things have settled, Bonnie. Have I made myself clear?" he said sternly with his hands on his hips, staring her square in the eye.

Bonnie was irked but also mildly impressed. _Is this what it's like when your husband sets his foot down?_ She questioned internally, scowling.

"Whatever," she said with an attitude.

"Thank you, and oh, can you spell me to be okay with the thing I did back in ninety four for a little while? You know, like something that will make it all magically come back after we kill this bastard that took our son. I don't want to forget tonight, but just that awful day specifically."

"Are you kidding me right now? Are you seriously trying to take the easy way out?" Bonnie looked at him as if he were being absurd.

"Oh, come on, B-town. I'm your husband. If I were a witch and you were the psychotic serial killer vampire turned semi good, I'd do it for you. It's not like I'm asking to never repent for my sins. I'm merely asking for a short vacation from one incident."

"Oh, my god, I can't believe I'm considering doing this."

"Please." He poked out his lip and bat his lashes at her.

"You're a mess. Come here. The things I do for love."

Damon chuckled. Bonnie placed her hands on his head, massaging his temples lightly with her thumbs. "On what day in ninety four did you commit this ominous crime?"

"On May tenth."

"Okay," Bonnie replied and then began chanting. In just a short time, Damon went from being tortured over what he did to Sarah's mother to not being tortured over what he had done.

"Damon, what bad thing did you do on May tenth of nineteen ninety four?" Bonnie asked after finishing the spell.

"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked puzzled.

"…and my work here is done." She held her head confidently in the air.

.o .O. o.

Alaric, Jeremy, Matt, and Elena went home for the evening. Caroline and Hayden were in the kitchen making a very late dinner for everyone at the boarding house.

It was an unnerving quiet as they sat around the living room, listening to nothing but the outside noises and the clock above the mantel ticking.

Bonnie and Damon sat all hugged up on one end of the couch, while Zinnia and Tupac sat cuddled up at the other end. Melissa sat at the corner of the other sofa, her head resting on her fist, Tyler napping by her feet. Stefan sat on the other end of Melissa, sipping on bourbon. Enzo, Cassie, and Natasha sat on the floor, playing monopoly, and Lucy sat in the Lazy Boy, skimming through the pages of her book, longing for her magic to return to her.

Everyone felt like they had been violated, but no one felt that way more so than Bonnie and to a lesser extent Damon. Someone had marched in to their home, uninvited, and had done a terrible injustice to them, and they couldn't fight back.

"What's the plan, Bonnie?" Tupac asked, breaking the unsettling quietness.

"I don't know where to start. I don't like that this man kept you guys incapacitated while he had his way with me. I should've awaken Damon, or even Stefan and Hayden. They were right there on the floor."

"The old divide and conquer trick," said Enzo.

"Bonnie, don't be so hard on yourself. You were only trying to protect your family," Zinnia added.

Bonnie collapsed back into to Damon's arms, a miserable look on her face.

"Zinnia and I have decided to stay. We want to help."

"No, I can't let you guys be away from your children a moment longer. You're going home to them and that's an order. Now that I know what this guy is capable of, I can't risk anything happening to you guys, too," said Bonnie.

"You and Damon were there for us when we needed you. You helped me and my people clean up the mess that we created. Let us help you?" argued Zinnia.

"No, I can't. What if one of you, or both of you for that matter gets killed during all of this? Then you would've died worlds away from your family. Is that what you want for your children?"

"She has a good point, Zinnia." Tupac clutched her hand.

"I know, but I can't leave her here alone."

"You will, and we'll be fine," Bonnie reassured.

"Bonnie, I think there is a spell that would be perfect for keeping everyone alert," Lucy broadcasted from out of nowhere.

"You mean a life force spell? I'm not so sure that's a good idea, Lucy," Stefan warned.

"…but who asked you?" Cassie teased.

"Shut up to the girl who no one remembers," Stefan shot back.

"Ha, ha, funny," Cassie said.

They all split their sides laughing at Cassie's expense, everyone but Lucy who seemed to have forgotten her uplifting talk with Hayden as depression began to settle over her once more.

"I don't think it's a life force linking spell," Lucy said unresponsively. "Mm, I'll find the spell. I'll let you know." Lucy left, dragging herself upstairs.

"Bonnie, did you tell Damon about Malachi Parker?" asked Stefan.

"Who the hell is Malachi Parker?"

"He's the guy that attacked us, the deranged brother of Jo, Liv, and Luke's, and given that we haven't seen Eva in a long time, I'm guessing he killed and took her form in order to escape the prison world."

"The bastard was right under our noses and we didn't even know it." Damon made a fist and pursed his lips angrily together.

"How were you all to know that Malachi Parker was there in Nova Scotia? It's me that should be angry with myself. I've been having all these weird visions, but they didn't seem to add up to anything. Like Tyler being in a glass box looking at a reflection of his wolf, or Melissa and Lucy, lying side by side with Harry Potter wands in their hands."

They all laughed.

"It's not funny guys."

"Yeah, it's kind of funny. Which one of them is, Hermione?" Enzo teased.

"I'm glad we're able to still share a laugh after what happened today." Stefan's eyes darted happily around the room.

They all looked at him, not a single smile on any of their faces.

"Stefan," called Damon.

"Yeah." Stefan turned to face him.

"Shut up."

They all laughed, again.

"I see how you guys are. I say something uplifting and you all give me the evil eye, but when Damon insults me, you're all giddy."

"Stop bitching, Stefan," Bonnie said playfully.

"It too, Bonnie?" He pressed his hand to his heart, poking out his lip, feigning hurt.

Their happiness was interrupted by the doorbell.

"Oh, my god! Who's that? Who's at the door?" Bonnie asked frantically.

"I don't know, but we all answer it together," Damon suggested.

Lucy hurried into the room, an alarm look in her eyes. Melissa rushed to her side. They seemed to be lost without their abilities.

Caroline and Hayden came speeding out of the kitchen. "Who's at the door?" Caroline blurted out, panicky.

"We don't know, but we're all going together," said Bonnie.

"Okay, well since I'm the oldest, I'll open the door. Bonnie you walk behind me and be ready with your magic. Cassie you can light the candles in case the lights go out," Hayden said seriously.

"Hey!" Cassie pouted.

"This is my house. My house. I say who answers the door, and how do you know you're the older vampire?" Damon stewed.

Stefan shot Lucy dagger eyes. She hurriedly turned away, nervously running her fingers through her hair.

"It doesn't matter who told me your age. Would you like for me to answer your door or not?" Hayden asked, bothered.

"Yes, you can answer my door, and when you die, I'll use your corpse as a human shield." He smirked.

"Gee, thanks." Hayden rolled his eyes.

"Can we just answer the damn door before the killer gets restless and barges inside and kills us all?" Enzo threw his hands in the air, annoyed with all the bickering.

"I'm coming to Momma."

"No, you stay here with me and Melissa," said Lucy.

_I'll stay here and protect Natasha. _Tyler stood alongside her, snarling, not remembering that no one could hear his thoughts.

Everyone clustered together, walking cautiously to the door. Bonnie fisted Hayden's shirt as she walked carefully behind him. Damon's hand was resting securely at the small of her back. Stefan's hand was on Damon's shoulder. Caroline was gripping Stefan's belt. Enzo had his arm around Caroline's waist. Tupac's hand was on Enzo's shoulder, Zinnia clutched his shirt, and Cassie hung on to his arm.

If they weren't so scared out of their minds, they'd be laughing at how they were behaving in this instance as they inched slowly across the floor like the blind leading the blind.

"Why are we walking to the door like this?" asked Damon.

They looked around at each other.

"I don't know why, but I'm okay with it because I'm in the middle. I feel like I have a really good chance of escaping if this all goes south," Enzo answered. Caroline snickered.

"Here goes," Hayden whispered as he placed his hand on the doorknob and then ripped it wide open. He grabbed Abby by the collar and tried pulling her into the house. She hit the invisible barrier hard and stumbled back. She quickly gained her balance. Bonnie jumped out from Behind Hayden, ready to hit her foe with a surge of power.

Her eyes widened in shock at seeing her mother standing there on her porch.

Abby looked at Bonnie and then peered over her shoulder to see all the voracious vampires standing behind her.

"Uh, did I come at a bad time?"


	33. Chapter 33: A Family Affiar part II

**A/N: **_Cont'd….._

I hope you all enjoyed part I. This chapter is a little more active. Please leave prompts… Please.

I've decided to take a break from this story and update Destined to be Together and One Monster's Fate. I've truly neglected my babies. Don't worry. I won't make you wait too long, especially if these chapters get a lot of attention.

Some plots and characters are owned by the CW.

**Oblivion Chapter 33: A family Affair part II**

Bonnie composed herself after hearing the question, "Yes." She answered coldly, slammed the door in Abby's face, and then stormed back to the living room.

"Who is that?" Hayden asked.

"Don't worry about it, Greek Adonis, just go finish dinner." Damon shoved Hayden out of the way.

"I just asked who was at the door," he said to Caroline who pat him on the back, trying to comfort him.

"You can handle being around Damon much better if you just ignore him."

Damon and Stefan looked at each other, pondering over if they should let Abby inside or not.

"What should I do, Stefan?"

"She's your children's grandmother."

"Bonnie, hates her though."

"I know she does, but one of you has to think about the children. Abby showing up here is our chance and Bonnie's too, to have a real family, and actually, Abby is the reason Melissa and I left. We wanted to find her and bring her here, for Bonnie."

"Let her in," Bonnie's voice echoed from behind.

Damon and Stefan spun around to see her and Natasha.

"Are you sure?" Damon asked.

"Yeah, like you said. Natasha needs to meet her grandmother."

Damon opened the door. Bonnie looked at her mother for a moment before inviting her inside.

"Hello, Abby," Damon greeted.

"Hi, Mrs. Bennett-Wilson," Stefan welcomed nervously.

"Hello, Stefan, Bonnie…and you." She frowned when she got to Damon. "Hi, you must be, Natasha?" she smiled big and bright as she looked down at her granddaughter.

"Yes, and you're my grandmother?" Natasha smiled.

"Yes, I'm Abby, your grandmother."

"Enough with the pleasantry's. What do you want, Abby?" Bonnie asked, turning around to go back to the living room.

Abby, Stefan, and Damon trailed quickly behind the fleeing women.

"Sheriff Forbes text me pictures of Natasha. She told me that you and Damon were married, had a daughter, and were expecting another baby," she conveyed.

"Liz sent you pictures of, Natasha? She's never seen her." Bonnie then thought about how camera happy Caroline was when around her daughter. She soon remembered how she might have gotten the picture. "Caroline," she mumbled, peeved.

"I hope you don't mind that Liz sent me a picture of Natasha, Bonnie? It's only a picture."

"Well I do mind, Abby. Melissa, will you take Natasha upstairs so I can have a few words with my mother."

"Sure." Melissa grabbed Natasha by the hand and then looked back at Tyler. He slowly got up and trotted behind them.

The others waited for Natasha to be out of ear shot except Damon. He knew she would listen in on their conversation anyway.

"I don't want you in my life or around my children, Abby. You were a deadweight mother. I'm sure you'll be a deadweight grandmother too."

"You know why I left, Bonnie, and it's not because I didn't want you. Can we not do this in front of all your friends?"

Abby looked around at everyone and then back at Bonnie. An awkward silence ensued.

"Hi, I'm Zinnia by the way. It's nice to meet you, though not under these circumstances." She introduced uncomfortably.

"Hi, nice to meet you too," Abby greeted back seriously as she took her offering hand, then promptly put her focus back on Bonnie. "Can I please speak with you in private, please?"

"No, and I forgave you for leaving me the first time and then you cut out on me, again." Bonnie picked right up where they left off.

"Because your husband here… turned me into a vampire against my wishes."

"Damon, how could you?" Zinnia intervened.

"That happened at a time in my life when I was stupid, and she abandoned, Bonnie. How can you expect me to respect someone like that?"

Tupac hit Damon on the arm and shook his head.

"You chose to remain a vampire Abby, and I stuck by you through every pain staking moment of your transition, and what did you do to me in return? You left me, again. You didn't even come to my funeral."

"Bonnie, I didn't even know you were dead! I went to your father's funeral, and none of your friends were there. Liz told me that you hadn't been home for months! I might not have been here in Mystic Falls with you, but I called Liz every week, checking up on you, and even after you fell off the radar for the entire summer, when I heard you were back, at Whitmore, and that you were happy, I still continued to call and get updates about you."

"You called and checked up on me? You went to dad's funeral?" Bonnie asked, stunned.

"Yes, Bonnie. I love you, and I know I should've stayed around, but you had your friends and now you're married to the one person I hate the most in this world. It was clear that you didn't want me or your father in your life, which you have every right to feel that way, so I left."

"You hate me?" Damon asked, wounded.

Abby looked at him and rolled her eyes. Stefan bit down on a chuckle.

Bonnie looked at her mother, digesting her words. She loudly exhaled, relaxing herself. "You can't expect me to just forgive you, Abby. I won't allow you to run in an out of my kids' life."

"I won't Bonnie, just give me another chance, please."

"There's a lot going on right now, but once everything settles, I'll bring Natasha by to see you, okay," she said, annoyed.

"Well, what about the other baby? Liz said that you were pregnant. You don't look pregnant. Did you have the baby?"

Everyone in the room looked around at each other, gloomy looks on their faces.

"What's wrong?" Abby asked. Her eyes darted from Bonnie to Damon and then to everyone else in the room.

"A guy by the name of Malachi Parker attacked us. He used magic to take the baby away from me."

"Bonnie, no. I'm so sorry. What can I do? How can I help? Let me help you get your baby back, please."

"It's a great idea, Bonnie. Let your mother help us. I hope you're going to stick around, Abby. You have a wonderful granddaughter, and we could use your help."

"I'm not going anywhere. I plan on sticking around for as long as Bonnie will have me." She looked back at Bonnie. Her eyes then darted over to Damon whose arm blanketed her daughter.

Being around Bonnie now that she was married to the one person that she hated more than anyone else in the world, would prove to be the hardest thing that Abby would have to do.

Caroline came running out to the others, "The food is ready!"

"Abby, why don't you stay for dinner?" Damon offered.

Abby forced him a fake grin. _If they sit me next to him, I'm going to puke. _

.o .O. o.

Melissa just lay in bed, isolating herself from the others. She didn't have an appetite, too much had happened that day for her to even think about eating. Tyler lied in bed alongside her, sad. He couldn't touch, kiss, or make love to his girlfriend. After the long talk they had about their relationship, their promises to do better by one another had all gone down the drain because of their new predicament.

"If only I had my magic, I could fix you." she begin to lightly sob. "I've got to stop crying."

_I know you would fix me if you could. I don't blame you Melissa._

She placed her arm over him, pressing the wolf to her. "Mm, your fur is so soft." She smiled.

Tyler's senses were off the chart. The milk and honey soap that Melissa used was heaven to him. He licked her nose. It was pure instinct. He then whined and whimpered, hating himself for feeling the need to cross that line into something grossly immoral.

Melissa scratched his back and tenderly rubbed him, angering Tyler even more. He jumped off the bed and then slowly walked to the door.

"Tyler, where are you going?"

The cold, black wolf turned back to her, starring piercingly at her.

"Come on, Tyler. Lay down."

He looked at her for a moment more and then left the room. Melissa got up and followed after him. He trucked downstairs and ran through the living room.

"Whoa!" Enzo said, pulling his feet swiftly out of the way.

"Hey, Tyler! Where're you going?" Damon asked, curious.

The wolf stood at the patio doors, wanting out. Damon walked to the door to open them.

"No! He's trying to escape!" Melissa yelled as she came running downstairs.

"No, Tyler!" Natasha shouted, jumping up from off the floor. She ran to the wolf and squeezed him. "You can't go."

"He just needs out, baby. Melissa calm down," Damon said nonchalantly.

"No, he wants to leave me!" Melissa said more vehemently.

Bonnie became concerned once realizing how upset Melissa was and decided to intervene.

"We had this discussion earlier, Melissa."

"Damon, wait," Bonnie walked over to him, placing her hands on the wolf's head and started rubbing his warm coat. "Come here, Natasha." She took her daughter's hands into hers. "Look into his eyes, and chant with me. Say, I am one with nature. May her creatures be one with me, as I am one with her. Let her thoughts be my thoughts, as I am the keeper of nature."

Natasha repeated the words in her soft baby voice.

"Good." Bonnie and Damon smiled proudly at their baby girl. "Now together."

They recited the words lowly in unison as they dazed deep into Tyler's eyes.

Soon, Bonnie and Natasha were seeing straight into his soul, hearing his thoughts.

_I can't be here. I'm a four legged freak! It's killing me to see you guys do all the things I can no longer do. I'm doing this for, Melissa, for you. Please leave me with my dignity._ Tyler looked at Melissa, whimpering. _My sweet Melissa._

Tears streamed down Bonnie's cheeks. "Tyler, No! No, don't leave me. Daddy make him stay, please." She violently cried. Damon was both heartbroken and also amazed at how beautiful his daughter was, even when she cried. He picked her up and wiped her falling tears from her face.

"I can't baby. It's Tyler's decision. We have to respect his choice."

"What? No, he can't leave. You can't let him go!" Melissa argued, feeling helpless.

Cassie took her hands, trying to comfort her. "Melissa, it'll be okay." She tried hugging her friend but she pushed her away.

"Stay close, Tyler. I know I can fix you. I just need some time." Bonnie gave him a caring smile. "Open the door, Damon."

"No! NO!" Melissa broke free from Cassie and tried grabbing Tyler.

"Melissa, give him some time. He'll be back," Bonnie tried to reassure her.

"Get out of my way!" Melissa shoved Bonnie out of the way.

"Hey!" Damon snapped as Bonnie lightly bounced into him. "It's fine, Damon." She fisted the hair at the top of her head, stressed out.

Stefan zoomed over to Melissa, grabbing her by the arms, "Melissa, let him go."

"Fuck you!" She snatched away from him and then ran upstairs.

He watched her run off as if the entire moment was a bad dream.

Damon opened the door. Tyler took off.

Damon walked out onto the patio, watching as the wolf ran off towards the woods. Suddenly he felt like there were things he needed to say to Tyler. He looked up at the sky, seeing the full moon, remembering how he almost died from a werewolf bite.

He then looked at the woods, which looked eerily dense under the glowing glimmer. "Not a great idea, Damon." He tried convincing himself not to go after his friend, but something deeper inside of him fought against that fear. He vamp sped off the square, stopping the wolf in a moonlit clearing with nothing but the twilight surrounding them.

"Tyler!" He bellowed.

The wolf stopped, skidding across and disturbing the dirt beneath him as he tried coming to a halt. He then turned slowly around to face Damon.

"You uh…you uh… you were a great babysitter. That shit from the other night, and Natasha sneaking off, it wasn't your fault entirely."

_No shit, Sherlock._ Tyler barked.

"I know you said something smart ass. Even your bark sounds snarky. You know what I mean, Tyler! Don't make me say those stupid little words. Bonnie and my kid are the only people I'll apologize to."

"_Ha! Even now you're pussy, but I'll forgive you, douchebag._ Tyler barked and then trotted over to Damon. He leapt up onto him and licked his face.

"Ew! Ew! Ew! You son of a bitch!" Damon nagged.

_Ah ha! Don't ever say I didn't do anything nice for you._

Tyler stood there, not really wanting to go but needed to, for him.

"Stay close, Tyler. I may have a nice juicy steak or chicken casserole for you." Damon smiled.

Tyler wagged his tail and then went off into the cover of darkness.

Damon never thought in a million years that he'd be sad to see Tyler Lockwood go away, yet here he was.

.o .O. o.

"Hey, Bonnie," Lucy walked in to the study, seeing Bonnie looking through her a grimoire. "Are you having any luck finding a spell?"

"Yes, I think I found a great one. I came by a vampire linking spell documented by my Gram's, it was created by her third cousin, Sophronia."

"Oh yeah. How does it work?"

"Sophronia's town was overwhelmed with rogue vampires who's leader, oddly enough, was a witch who practiced dark magic, so she came up with a spell that allowed the vampires fighting along with her to be linked telepathically to her so that they would know when the other was in danger. Even when they were passed out they would wake up at feeling that one of them were in distress."

"Oh, okay. Well that sounds great," Lucy answered in a condescending tone as she pat Bonnie on the hand. "I think you're going to like this spell even better. You should definitely use this one. It was created by my two times great, Aunt Lily."

"Oh yeah. How does the spell work?" Bonnie ignored Lucy's pompous attitude.

"She created a super vampire that was twice as strong as an original. Her creation couldn't be killed by removing his heart or from a werewolf bite. The only thing that could end her vampire was her natural death, and we both know a witch can extend her life for as long as she wants. I think this spell is great for what we're trying to accomplish. We need an invincible team. This guy weakened us. I can't allow him to cause us any more harm."

"Uh, oh…okay. I understand what you're saying, but let's think about this." Bonnie was less than pleased with the spell.

"What's there to think about?" Lucy questioned, a hint of attitude in her voice.

"Well, there's nothing wrong with the spell, but I just don't think that it's an appropriate enchantment for a vampire. Every last one of my friends have turned off their humanity at one time in their lives or another. They've killed, destroyed things, and hurt people, including the ones that they love. I love my friends, don't get me wrong, but the last thing we need is an unstoppable vampire running around Mystic Falls or anywhere else in the world for that matter, unchecked. Not only that, but there was no mention in that spell that included waking a sleepy vampire, and I don't want all my friends to die because I died. Seems so selfish."

"With the way your friends treat you?"

"Ugh!" Bonnie gasps.

"All I'm saying Bonnie, if they're your friends… your so call, 'Family," I'd think you'd want them to be around forever."

"Lucy, are you serious right now? We're the protectors and the keepers of balance, and we shouldn't be creating unstoppable vampires."

Lucy knew that Bonnie was right, and a day didn't go by when she thought about how Enzo and Stefan had went on their little killing spree, leaving a trail of body's wherever they went while Bonnie and Damon were away, but she was the head witch in charge. She didn't want a much younger witch showing her up. She was beginning to feel angry for not finding the better and more appropriate spell first.

"Okay, fine. Use your dead cousin, Sophronia's spell. If you need me, I'll be home, at Tyler's place."

"Lucy, don't be like this."

Lucy sashayed out of the room and gave her a quick wave of her hand from behind.

.o .O. o.

Stefan went up to Melissa's room whilst the others sat around the kitchen talking. He leaned against the frame of the door, observing her as she sat in the chair, staring at something on her phone.

"You feeling better?" he asked, his head cocked to one side.

Melissa shot him dagger eyes and then jumped up from the chair. She marched over to him and tried slamming the door in his face.

Stefan blocked the door with the palm of his hand, giving Melissa a bothered look as he watched her march back to her seat. He walked up to Melissa and stood over her.

"So this is how you treat me after we spent those two amazing hours, talking about how hot I look naked."

"Get out of my face. I don't have time for your lame ass jokes."

Stefan sighed loudly. "Melissa, I'm sorry about Tyler okay, but you know he'll be back. If I were in his shoes, I couldn't stand for the woman I love to see me that way all the time either. He's an animal full time now for god sakes!"

"Oh, my god! Just get out! Get out! You can't even comprehend what he's going through or what I'm going through! Leave! Please!" Melissa sprung from her chair, hitting Stefan in the chest and tried pushing him towards the door. He wouldn't budge.

"Melissa, please. Please." His soft, deep voice got her attention as he took her in his arms, holding her tightly in his grasp. He squeezed her to him, massaging and kneading her back and shoulders robustly with his strong hands. Melissa soon gave in to him as she wrapped her arms around him and cried like a baby. Stefan laid his head on top of hers, rocking her in her arms.

Melissa was being taking to another place in her head as she sniffed Stefan's wonderful cologne and keyed in to his wonderful touch and strong arms enfolding her. She begin to tingle in the pit of her gut. She wished that they were lying down, snuggled up in bed, and kissing each other's pain away.

She stretched up to him and rubbed her warm cheek against his chiseled jaw. Stefan closed his eyes and mimicked her action. She began to caress his back as vigorously as he rubbed hers and let out a pleasurable hum. Standing there in Stefan's arms made her feel so loved, needed, and safe.

Their butterfly kissing turned into light canoodling. He pecked her lips twice, squeezed, and caressed her some more. She pulled away from him, giving him two sweet kisses on the lips and then swung her arms around his neck, pressing him strongly into her.

Their nuzzling was ever so tender, beautiful, and unintentional, coming from a natural place of who Melissa and Stefan were as individuals.

Melissa began to realize what she was doing. Her eyes popped open, mortified by her actions and feelings.

"No." She pushed Stefan away, enraged by the fact that she was being comforted while Tyler was out there alone, and by a guy that she had budding feelings for, no less. She cursed Lucy for even planting the seed in her brain that she liked Stefan, because now it was all that she could think about, especially after their short little trip to Florida and seeing him naked.

_Tyler needs me!_ She shouted within, trying to put her focus back on the more important things like her boyfriend who was out there, alone, and the fact that she was powerless.

Stefan looked at her, still posed as if he were holding her in his arms. He was confused and not sure of what he had done to cause such a sudden change in her demeanor.

Melissa pressed her finger against her lips, shaking her head as the water works began. "He needs me, and I can't help him, because I'm nothing. Being a witch was the one great thing I had going for me, and now it's gone, and I've lost Tyler."

Stefan sat down on the bed across from her. He sat with his legs spread apart, his hands linked between them, and his head hung low, feeling sad about Melissa's situation, and everyone else around him.

"I hate that this is happening to you Melissa. You're a great girl, and you don't deserve this. None of you deserve what happened to you, Bonnie, Lucy, or Tyler. I wish there was something I could do to make things better for all of you, to take away the hurt that you feel." Stefan, unlike Damon wasn't afraid to cry, and Melissa was in awe of a man who wasn't afraid to show his true emotions.

She looked at him smiling as his eyes filled with tears and a few streamed down his peanut butter cheeks. She wiped the tears away from her eyes and then grabbed the tissue off the night side table. She took a few pieces and then held the box up for him to take some of the tissue, too.

"Thank you," he smiled and then let out a soft chuckle as he grabbed a few pieces and dried his eyes. "You must think I'm a big ol' wimp?"

She softly giggled. "No, silly. I love that you're not afraid to cry. It means you care."

"You know, Melissa, you're more than just a witch. You're an incredible girl, and it's time for the world to see that other side of you. I don't know why I have to keep lifting you up. You should know all these wonderful things about yourself by now."

Melissa chuckled, again.

"That's what I pay you for, to boost my ego. Why do you think I did that locator spell for you?" she teased. Stefan finally got a smile out of Melissa.

.o .O. o.

Kai wasted no time going to work on recruiting more minions to help him carry out his dark plan. While stuck in the prison world, his own personal hell, he learned about another supernatural jail. This prison world, like his, was created for twenty rogue vampires that terrorized small towns outside of Mystic Falls. Like always, a Bennett witch, Emily Bennett to be exact, was the master wizard behind the huge hex.

Kai stood in the middle of the forest, snowflakes falling on his head, looking at the large white house where the rogue vampires resided. He wondered how the hell he had come to this. When he left 1994, all he wanted was to get revenge on his family, but now here he was, plotting with a woman he barely even knew to take over her world.

He pondered over how his life had become so chaotic in such a short time after escaping his penitentiary. How could it all have gone so awry that he'd lick Bonnie Bennett's blood off of a knife, spit it out onto an artifact just so he could travel back in time to free a bunch of scoundrels to get rid of one witch and her daughter?

He was inside Bonnie's home, he could have killed her and all her friends and family right then and there, but he didn't. "Fuck you, Luke," he muttered. Merging with his brother was a good thing, because he now had his full power, but it was also bad because it made him unstable and to a lesser extent, weak.

"Looks like dinner's back on the menu boys." A voice called, disembodied.

Kai smiled, and then slowly turned around to see a large, pale man towering over him vamped up.

"Oh, so you are as stupid as you look," Kai said, grinning.

The man snarled in his face.

"Kill his ass, Beau," said another scallywag.

"How about we don't kill him. How about we find out how the hell he got here first." A tall blonde came out from under the cover of darkness, in her blue, ankle length, high collared dress and matching jacket, wearing a brood brimmed hat, giving him a dark look.

"Thank God, for women." Kai gave her a clever grin.

.o .O. o.

Alaric came to the boarding house at eight o'clock sharp that morning with more information about Malachi Parker. He walked in to see everyone still there and in the same clothes that they had on the day before. They were sitting around drinking on anything from coffee, juice, to bourbon.

"Did you all even go to bed?" he asked and then let out a low chortle. His eyes then landed on Abby. He widened and narrowed them, and then cleared his throat. "Hello, I'm Alaric, and you are?" He walked over, holding out his hand for her to take.

She stood and then took his hand, "I'm Abby. I'm Bonnie's mother."

"Oh wow, it's nice to meet you. I hope to see more of you."

Abby looked oddly at him and then smiled.

Bonnie shook her head as she descended the stairwell, walking up behind Alaric with her grimoire in hand.

"Oh, good. You're just the person I want to talk to," he said.

"Tell me you know where Malachi Parker is hiding out."

"I can't tell you that, but what I can tell you, is that Malachi Parker can siphon magic, and here's a paper from May tenth of nineteen ninety four explaining in detail about how he murdered his entire family." Alaric handed the paper to Bonnie. Stefan looked at the paper with an extremely worried look on his face and then at Damon who seemed to be pretty clueless.

"Hey, may I see that?" Stefan asked after walking over to Bonnie. She handed him the paper without looking as she was still consumed by what Alaric was saying. Stefan put the paper on the bottom shelf inside the bar for temporary safe keeping.

"So, he didn't take our powers to debilitate us, he's willing them?" Lucy stood up, furious at hearing the news about Kai's ability.

"I'm afraid so."

"Great."

"None of that matters now, because I know what I have to do, what we have to do to stop him. The next time we run into Malachi Parker. We'll be ready."

"Excuse you?" Lucy flashed Bonnie and incredulous look.

"Malachi, taking your powers do indeed matter, Lucy. I apologize. It was a poor choice of words, ugh."

"So what's the plan, Bonnie? How can we stop the guy that puts us all on our asses before we can even throw a punch?" Stefan questioned, annoyed.

"It's called the bosom buddy spell."

Enzo laughed and the others followed.

"Bosom who?" Damon narrowed his eyes.

Lucy rolled her eyes, retreating to the back of the room. She was the one that was supposed to be coming up with a plan to save them and get Bonnie's baby back, yet here she was, in the back ground watching her cousin take charge.

"This spell will link us spiritually and emotionally. Say if Stefan's way across town, alone, and he finds himself in trouble. We'll be able to feel what he's feeling and the magical link will take us right to him."

"Whoa, whoa, I don't want Damon in my head," Caroline protested.

"Ditto," he spat.

"I'm glad I won't be here for this," added Zinnia.

"Ditto," said Tupac. "Did I use that right?" His eyes darted around the room, eliciting an amused chuckle from everyone.

"You can't hear each other's thoughts guys. The spell only goes active when you're in danger."

"When do you want to perform this spell? Can I be linked to you? I'd love to help you catch this bastard," said Hayden.

"There's no way you're linking up with Bonnie after what happened in that doctor's office," Damon badgered.

"What happened in the doctor's office was me examining your wife, while you were there. I'm a doctor. That's what we do, examine. Is this guy for real?"

"Hayden just ignore him," said Caroline.

"Hayden, I'd love for you to be one of my vampires, and Caroline's right, ignore my husband. I think now would be a good time to perform the spell, because while taking a nap, I had another vision, and so did Natasha, so the sooner the better."

"What did you see in your vision?" Damon asked worriedly.

"I saw the town being destroyed. It was total chaos. Buildings were on fire. Smoke filled the air, dead bodies were lying in the street, and vampires were walking around with blood…dripping from their mouths. It was like nothing I'd ever seen," Bonnie explained dreamily as she looked blankly down at the flooring.

"I need to check on my baby girl," Damon said, walking towards the stairs. Bonnie grabbed his wrist, halting him.

"She's okay. I gave her some special tea, which helped her to fall asleep."

"You charmed her tea?"

"It's fine…Damon. It's a very gentle spell. She'll wake up rested and refreshed."

"Ugh," Damon rubbed his forehead frustratingly.

"Okay, so if we're done talking about that monster, and how unhappy we are with our physicians, let's get on with this spell." Bonnie smiled and winked at Hayden. He smiled and winked back.

"What the hell was that?" Damon got jealous.

"Stop being so jealous. She loves you. You big idiot," Alaric said, shaking Damon by the shoulders.

Bonnie laid her book on the bar and then looked around the room at all the unsure faces, "Come on everyone and gather around." She smiled.

They all walked unsurely up to the table, looking nervously around at each other.

Damon stood next to Bonnie, not allowing her any elbow room and she quite liked him being so close to her. Stefan, Hayden, Caroline, Cassie, Lucy, Abby, Alaric, and even Zinnia and Tupac walked up, but oddly, Enzo hung back.

Bonnie looked around the bar, counting, "I wish Tyler, Matt, and Elena were here. I'll add them later," she said. "Mm…Enzo, there you are. Get over here."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, you're Damon's friend, right?"

"That asshole is not my friend," mumbled Damon.

"Damon."

Damon looked at Enzo and smirked, "I'm kidding jackass. Get over here. You need to be linked to someone. You're dating Caroline after all."

"Go screw yourself."

"Relax, ignore him, remember," said Hayden.

"I'd like to stake his ass," Abby whispered.

Stefan whipped his head around to her, flabbergasted. Abby sent him a phony grin.

"Damon will you do me a favor and cut a few strands of everyone's hair and put them in this bowl."

"Oh, hell no!" Caroline strongly protested.

"Whoa! I'm not so sure that's a good idea," added Hayden.

"Oh, my God! I don't give a crap about your hair!" Damon yelled offensively.

"Will you all grow up? Stefan, will you get me a few strands of everyone's hair?" Bonnie tossed the scissors at him, hitting him in the chest.

"I would've gladly done it for you until you chucked the scissors at me," he huffed.

"JUST DO IT GOD DAMN IT!"

Stefan's eyes widened, shocked by her response. He raced around the bar collecting the hair, and then tossed it into the bowl. Damon proudly grinned at Bonnie's spitfire.

"Thank you!" she huffed.

"You're welcome, for nothing," he muffled.

Bonnie cut a few strands of her own hair, added them and Natasha's in to the container and then gently shook it, mixing the hairs. She placed the bowl back down on the table and stared at the strands of hair with a penetrative gaze and began performing the spell, "Ligatis pedibus nostris spiritibus cor nostrum ligatis pedibus ligatis pedibus cogitationum nostrarum corpora nostra quae fuit nos nunc tantum me." She spoke the incantation until the hair in the bowl went ablaze.

The small flame engulfed the strands, turning them into ash. Bonnie took in a sharp intake of air as she looked around at the others.

"That's it? No lightening, thundering, or earthquakes?" Damon asked with a furrowed brow.

"That's it." Bonnie giggled.

"Let's see if it works." Caroline stabbed Damon in the ass with Bonnie's ink pen.

"Caroline!" Bonnie fumed.

"Ahhh!" he yelled, ripping the pen out of his ass as he fell back into the wall, whining.

"We need to make sure the spell works Bonnie, oh, my god!" Caroline pouted and then walked off.

"Oh, wow! It works. I can feel that he's in pain." Hayden laughed.

"Fuck you," Damon growled.

While everyone was laughing at Damon. Lucy was building up the courage to tell her cousin what a good job she had done, "Bonnie, you did well. I guess you're the new head witch in charge." She gave her a timid grin and then walked away.

"What?" A puzzled look covered Bonnie's face as she watched her cousin walk away.

.o .O. o.

"Hey Abby, you finding everything okay? You need an extra blanket, soap, towels?" Stefan smiled.

"No, I'm fine. Thank you for letting me stay here to be close to my daughter and granddaughter."

"You're welcome. I think family is important," he said, standing there as if he had more to say.

"Uh, is that all you needed to talk to me about?"

"Uh, yes actually I wanted to talk about Damon."

"Oh, about my staking him comment? You don't have to worry, Stefan. I'm not going to kill your brother."

"No, no, I'm not worried about you killing my brother. I'm concerned about you hating him. He doesn't deserve your hate for what happened that night."

"Like hell he doesn't. He turned me into a vampire."

"He didn't want to, Abby. Neither one of us did, but we were stuck between a rock and a hard place. It was either turn you or Bonnie or both of you would have died by the hands of the Mikealson's."

"…and that makes it okay. You guys didn't have any other options? No one else's life mattered as much as the precious Elena, right?"

"That's not true."

"Her life used to be the only one that mattered to you all. What has happened to change all that?"

"This is not about Elena, it's about you and Damon, and you hating him for something he didn't want to do. We were giving a choice. I was the one going to turn you that night, but Damon didn't want Elena or Bonnie mad with me, so he turned you, and deep down, I think he wanted you to be his vampire, but that's neither here nor there," he paused.

"Neither one of us wanted to hurt a hair on Bonnie's head, so we sacrificed you instead. I know we have a weird way of showing Bonnie that we love her, but we do, and I promise you, you never have to worry about anyone being more important than her, ever again. She's very important to me. I consider her my sister. She was like family to me way before she fell in love with my brother, so I say all of this to say this, if you're going to hate someone, hate me." He looked her square in the eye.

Abby frowned at him, digesting his words.

"So it's settled. I hate you both." She smiled and then shouldered pass Stefan.

"Well, that went well."

.o .O. o.

Bonnie had spent all day, searching for spells and performing them in the hopes that she would find her child. All her efforts were futile. She thought that she could keep the faith, continue moving forward, and not cry anymore unless they were happy tears over finding her child, but as she lay in bed, feeling her tummy, which used to be full with her baby, she broke down.

Damon lay on the other side of her, wide awake, listening to her cry. "We'll find him, and we'll put him back where he belongs."

"I just don't know any more."

"You do know, Bonnie."

"Mommy, you crying?" Natasha woke up at hearing her mother sobbing.

"I'll be all right, Nat. Now get some rest."

"No, momma, you need me." She crawled over to her mother and hugged her. Bonnie smiled and thread her fingers through her hair. "We should give my brother a name. I like hotdog."

Bonnie and Damon softly chuckled.

"Mmm, how about we go with something stronger, like Marco?" Damon suggested.

"Mm, seems like we had a son named Marco in another life," Bonnie said.

"You mean the life when I was the king of the undead," he joked.

"Yeah, that one." She smiled.

"How about, Macaroni," Natasha said mockingly.

"Macaroni is quite adorable pumpkin, but I like Alexander better, you?" Damon suggested and smiled.

"En, it's okay. I actually looked at a few names today online. I like either Zayn or Rhys."

"O…M…G, you're a directioner." Damon frowned.

"No, I just like the name."

"I like Rhys," expressed Nat.

"Yeah, I'm with, Nat. I feel like if we name him Zayn, he'll always be in trouble." Damon laughed at his own joke.

"Okay, so Rhys it is."

"Yeah, Rhys," added Damon.

They became startled at hearing knocking. Damon flashed out of bed, seeing a piece of paper being slid under the door. He picked it up and read the message stuck to the page.

_Bonnie, I hope this gives you some peace until we bring your baby back home, Lucy. _

"Bonnie, look at this." Damon hurried back to bed. He turned on the lamp and handed her the paper.

She set up in bed, read the note, and then the page attached to the short message.

"Oh, my god. It's another linking spell but it links a mother to her child instead." She flashed him her dazzling smile.

"What are we waiting for, let's do it!" Damon jumped out of bed. He grabbed a candle and the salt from the top drawer of their chest.

Bonnie laughed. "I don't think we need that."

"Really?" Damon asked disappointedly.

"Oh, what the hell. Come on, Natasha."

Natasha grabbed her teddy bear and bounded out of bed. Bonnie sat cross leg on the floor and so did her daughter and Damon. He placed the candle on the floor and drew a circle around it with the salt. Bonnie and Nat were tickled.

"Okay," Bonnie answered, looking down at the paper, studying the words.

Damon and Natasha absorbed her with an admiring gaze, but as the clock ticked on, Bonnie's hopeful appearance faded as well as their excitement.

Bonnie recalled how she had been chanting and searching for the right magical formula all day but got nothing. Those same thoughts Damon had about their child being dead had now creeped into her head. She couldn't perform not one more spell and not get results, and the spell that Lucy had so generously slipped under her door would surely allow her to feel her child's life force even though her son was out of sight and not within her reach.

Bonnie looked up at Damon, her long hair draped over her shoulders, hiding her glistening eyes.

"Bonnie, what's wrong?" He crawled to her, lifting her gaze to his.

"Once I do this spell, we'll have our answer. We'll know if our baby is alive or not," she said, horrified.

Damon dazed at her for a bit and then plopped back down on the floor, doomed.

"He's alive momma. We have to let him know that we're coming for him," Natasha said softly, interrupting their sulking.

Damon clutched Bonnie's hand, intertwining their fingers. "I'm with the girl."

"I'm with the girl, too." Bonnie looked over at Natasha. "Okay baby, repeat after me, and then we'll say the spell together, okay?" She directed as she took her daughter by the hands.

"Yes ma'am."

"Bind our spirits; bind our hearts. Bind our thoughts; bind our bodies. What once was we, is now only me," Bonnie stated. Natasha repeated and then they chanted together.

"Come on, daddy! You say it too."

"Uh, uh, uh, okay. Why not." He took Natasha's and Bonnie's hand and they began chanting, together. Damon chanted through smiling lips.

_**(Back at Kai's and Luna's)**_

Luna was so thrilled with Kai for delivering her an army of starving vampires that she decided to sneak into his bed and give him a little gift. They made love for over an hour. She took a shower, cleaning herself up and came back to him for more.

Kai woke up out of his sleep with her warm mouth wrapped around the heart of him.

"Oooh, uh, uh, ahhh," he lamented and jerked about the bed, curling up his toes. It had been so long since he had relations that he had forgotten how sexual acts and intercourse felt, even after the little taste she had given him hours ago, he still felt like it was the very first time.

"I want you. I want you," he said winded, directing her on top of him.

Luna straddled Kai and then eased down onto his hardness. She dug her nails into his chest. Kai squealed, writhing underneath her. He started to buck wildly into her warm suctioning core, his member harder than a rock as he rammed inside of her unmercifully. He spread her ass apart, driving deeper and deeper into her. Luna screeched to the heavens as her pregnant belly brushed across his abdomen robustly.

They were in pure ecstasy, but Rhys had other plans. He became actively violent in Luna's womb, acting out the rage that his mother felt over losing him. Luna's muscles twisted, turned, pulled, and stretched, making her sick at the stomach and causing her unbearable torture. Vile exploded from her, spewing out all over Kai as she tried to hurry off of him and out of bed.

Kai bellowed loudly at seeing her undissolved upchuck on him. She leaned over the toilet, puking and puking and puking some more while Bonnie, Natasha, and Damon chanted and chanted and chanted.

Kai ran to the bathroom, seeing her barf everywhere. "Luna," he whispered, horrified.

"Why is this happening to me!" she screamed.

.o .O. o.

"I can feel Rhys! I feel our baby's spirit! He's alive! He's alive!" Bonnie happily cried.

Damon let out a happy howl. He picked Bonnie up off the floor and twirled her around in his arms.

"Do me. Do me, daddy!"

"Come here, you!" He freed Bonnie, picked up his baby girl, and spun her around in the air, too.

Bonnie looked at her little family happily, feeling somewhat complete, again.

.o .O. o.

Elena rushed around the house, getting ready to go to class, but not before stopping by the Grill to have breakfast with Matt. They hadn't seen each other since the day she woke up extremely sick because of her guilty conscious of how she behaved when she was a vampire.

Elena had gathered up all her things and was now leaving the house. She opened the door and screamed when she saw the freakishly large, black wolf standing on her porch.

"Tyler, oh shit! You scared me."

_No, you scared me. What's with all the screaming? You know I have sensitive hearing._

Elena placed her things on the ground and crouched down in front of Tyler. She rubbed the wolf's coat and looked sadly into its yellow eyes. "I can't believe that bastard did this to you." She leaned her forehead into him, meditating over all the things that had happened to her friends as she continued to massage him.

She pulled away and looked at Tyler for a moment longer, listening to him whimper.

"Are you hunger? I was about to go to the Grill to meet Matt for breakfast. I could buy you a big juicy steak." She smiled.

_I'm so hungry. I refuse to eat rodents. I'd rather die of starvation_. Tyler happily barked and wagged his tail.

Elena wanted to cry at seeing her friend be a mere pet. She wiped away her sniffle and then grabbed her things from off the porch, "Come on. Let's go." She hurried to her car, Tyler following. He jumped into the backseat and Elena sped off.

Back at the boarding house, Bonnie had opened up a portal for Tupac and Zinnia to return home. Opening up the gateway also turned into another lesson in sorcery for Natasha.

Bonnie and Natasha not only had to open up the doorway to New Earth, they had to perform spells on appliances and other things, too.

Damon, Stefan, Hayden, and everyone else were up at the crack of dawn sending tissue, pillows, liquor, and other odds and ins through the portal. The New Earth paring came to planet Earth and went shopping.

Tupac was also determined to have a more pleasant landing then when they arrived in Mystic Falls.

"Who in the hell buys a truck load of tissue? You don't even have a sewer system!" Damon bitched.

"Oh, Bonnie, I'm going to miss you so much. I love you."

"I love you, too, and I promise after all this mess is over with, I will send for you."

"You better, and Natasha, I'm going to miss you most of all little lady." Zinnia knelt down in front of her. "I want you to promise me that you'll obey your mother and father, stop cursing, and start picking up behind yourself. Your mother is dealing with a lot and she needs you as her little helper."

"I'm already taken care of my mom Mrs. Zinnia, and I'm being her little helper. I will promise to pick up behind myself more though, but what's so bad about profanity? They're just words, expressions."

"Oooh," Zinnia laughed, impressed by how mature Natasha was as she swathe her arms around her, kissing her fat cheeks. She released Natasha from her loving grasp and then looked over at Bonnie's mother. "Abby, I'm sorry I didn't get to spend more time with you, maybe next time."

"Yes, next time." Abby gave her a hug.

Zinnia pulled away from the squeeze, giving the woman a serious look. "Abby, you have a really great daughter. I know it's not my place, but she needs you now more than ever. Your grandchildren need a grandmother. I hope you stick around."

"I give you my word. I'm not going anywhere." She swore, looked over at Bonnie, and smiled.

"Bonnieeeee." Tupac came jogging up. He swung his arms around her, nuzzling her. "Thank you so much for having us, for blessing us with your magic, and helping us to finally put an end to Shing. It's not the ending I hoped for him, but at least he can no longer do any more harm to me or my people."

"Anytime, and I enjoyed your visit."

"Well I didn't. I'm ready for you to go," Damon said teasingly. Bonnie shook her head.

"Oh, Damon. I'm missing you already my friend, and I left you a little gift in your toilet."

Damon bulged his eyes, mortified, "You didn't!"

"Oh, but I did."

"God damn it!"

Tupac wrapped an arm around an angry Damon, kissed his cheek, and laughed.

"We better go. Bonnie, please be careful. Send me an update. I must know that you're okay. Even if things haven't been resolved, I need to know that you and everyone else is alive and well, understood?"

"Yes. I promise I'll send you a letter every other day."

"I can send it momma."

"Correction, I'll have Natasha send it every other day." Bonnie smiled.

Tupac and Zinnia said goodbye to everyone else and one last final goodbye to Bonnie, Damon, and Natasha. Zinnia couldn't help but cry as she backed slowly up into the gateway.

The gang watched until their New Earth visitors disappeared within the glowing bright light.

"So cool," Natasha looked at the event all wide-eyed and slack jaw.

Bonnie looked up at Damon with her arm around his waist and the waterworks immediately initiated.

"Oooh, don't cry, Bon Bon." Damon slightly smiled, resting his head on top of hers as he enfolded her. "We'll see them again."

"I know, but Zinnia leaving, us losing our son. It's just too much."

He took her by the shoulders, "I know, but at least now we know he's alive. You're going to keep trying your locator spell every day. We're going to keep the link with our son open, and we will find this bastard, but in the meantime. Stefan get over here," he said, grabbing his brother's arm and pulling him over to them. "There's someone very special I want the both of you to meet, and you too Natasha."

"Who do you want me to meet?" Stefan asked with a raised brow.

"I'll tell you once we get there." Damon shot him a goofy grin.

"You get my attention, tell me there's someone you want me to meet, and when I ask, you can't tell me."

"Be patient. We're meeting her at the Grill. She's going to be staying with us for a little while."

Stefan and Bonnie looked at each other with their tightening eyes, perplexed by Damon's announcement.

"Baby girl, go get Daddy's keys."

Natasha vamp sped into the house for her father's car keys. Damon rocked on the ball and the heel of his feet, giving them a gloating grin.

_**(BACK AT THE GRILL) **_

"Unfortunately Tyler, I can't take you inside. I can leave the window down for you, or you can sit outside the car."

_I'm a human being, Elena. I know animals can't go inside a restaurant. God damn it! This is bullshit. _

"You don't have to snarl at me," Elena fussed, leaning into the car door, trying to escape Tyler's evil an angry growl.

_Oh, I am growling. My bad. _

Elena went in to the Grill, leaving Tyler outside by the car.

She walked right pass Sarah who sat drinking her coffee and waiting for Damon to come pick her up. She couldn't believe her incredible luck of running into him.

Sarah learned that she was adopted on the day her adoptive dad gave her the letter that her biological father had written her before she was born along with the letter that her cousin Stefan had written her, too. The moment she learned that she had come from a whole other lineage and that one of her relatives had reached out to her, she was anxious to get to know about her biological family.

She was sad to learn from the letter that her parents were killed in a tragic car accident, which was a lie she was told. Sarah also learned in the letter from Stefan that he was footing the bill for her college education, which gave her even more incentive to meet him. She completely ignored the instructions in Stefan's message for her to contact him initially before coming. He explained that he needed to prepare things for her arrival and that it was very important that she do this, but Sarah was too anxious. She was very much into the element of surprise.

"Hello, sweet stuff. You mind if I have a seat?" Kai Parker pulled up a chair and sat down across from Sarah without an invitation. He was at the Grill, grabbing breakfast before going over to the safe house he set up for the vampire's he brought back with him from 1903. He wasn't quite ready for them to unleash hell on Mystic Falls at present.

"My name is not sweet stuff and that seat is for someone else."

"Umph." Kai looked around for the person with whom she claimed to be sitting with. "You know what I think. I think you're lying. You know you shouldn't be so mean to people. You might hurt their feelings. When you hurt people's feelings, Sarah, it makes them want to eliminate you." He smirked.

Elena grabbed her drink from off the counter and was headed back to the table when she saw Malachi Parker talking to a young woman. She then looked outside to see Tyler growling at Kai through the window. Matt walked up to see a large wolf at the door going ballistic.

"Tyler?" He called, not sure if the animal was Tyler or not.

_It's me asshole! The bastard that did this to me is inside! Do your job! Get that son of a bitch!_

Matt finally put two and two together as Tyler kept jumping up on the entrance, snarling. He ran inside to find Elena addressing Kai.

_What the fuck are you doing Elena? He'll rip your ass from limb to limb._ Tyler fussed.

"You took my friend's baby." Elena sent him a cold look.

Kai's eyes traveled up to Elena. He then looked at Matt, next the large wolf outside the door.

"I think maybe it's time that I leave. Sarah, maybe some other time."

"Maybe not," she answered unfeelingly.

He smirked and then tried leaving.

"Stop! Put your hands up over your head, and turn around real nice and slow," Matt ordered, pulling out his weapon.

Kai evilly smirked and slowly spun around to face the officer. "You're going to need a lot more than that gun if you plan on stopping me." He lifted up his hand, manipulating Matt to turn his weapon on himself.

"Ahhhh," Matt lowly moaned in agony as he tried to fight against Kai's power.

"Stop it!" Elena shouted as she ran over to Matt, grabbing his wrist, pulling back against the invisible force.

"You're going to kill him!" Sarah added.

The people in the restaurant were gasping in horror and moving out of the way.

Sarah stood in horror, watching Matt turning his own gun on himself.

Tyler had reached his breaking point at seeing no one doing anything to help his friends. He jumped through the glass door, shattering it, and then leaped onto Kai. He plunged his canines in to his neck.

Kai cried out in pain but went straight into action to defend himself. He delivered a deafening blow to Tyler, doing damage to him from the inside out.

He staggered around to Tyler and began kicking him in addition to using his magic against him, too. "You almost left my son fatherless! Fuck you! Fuck you!" Kai screamed and continued to kick Tyler with his hard combat boots in the gut.

"Stop it! Stop!" Sarah screamed before jumping onto Kai's back and started punching him on the side of his face.

"Get. Off. Of. Me. You. Fucking. Bitch." Kai hissed every time he rammed Sarah up against the wall. She finally loosened her grip and fell to the floor in incredible pain.

Matt discharged his pistol, missing. Kai sent him flying to the wall, knocking him out. Elena grabbed a steak knife off the table, staring him straight in the eye.

"Don't even think about it, bitch."

Elena charged him. Kai caught her by the neck, stopping her dead in her tracks. He grabbed the knife, stabbed her in the gut with it, and then tossed her aside like a rag doll.

He then turned his attention back to Sarah. He grabbed her hair and lifted her up to him.

"I really wanted to get to know you, Sarah. You're so beautiful. We could've been so good together. Ah well. I suppose it's for the best. I do have a baby on the way after all," he said lowly into her ear as he cupped her chin. He kissed her cheek repeatedly and Sarah grimaced from his touch.

"Stop. Stop, please," she sobbed.

"Since you like wolves so much. I think you should be one. Don't you?" He grinned, closed his eyes, and began chanting. Sarah began transforming into a wolf right in his very grasp.

_NOOOOO!_ Tyler screamed internally as he watched in horror at what Kai was doing. He tried standing but his bones were broken but he was healing quickly. He wanted so badly to turn away and not see Sarah go through such excruciating pain. He knew exactly what kind of hell she was experiencing. She screamed and cried out in agony as her skin stretched, burned, and her bones snapped, broke, and extended.

Sarah was now a full, golden wolf. She began whimpering. She was confused as she circled in place. Kai was pleased with what he had done as he looked around the restaurant at all the frighten faces.

"YOU WANT SOME OF THIS!" he screamed madly, pounding on his chest. He stared at the patrons for a moment longer and then with a quick pop of his wrist, the windows in the Grill exploded. The shards of glass flew through the air, injuring and killing people.

Kai looked all around the Grill, once more, smiling, and then left.

_Help me! Somebody help me! Sarah cried._

_**I can hear you! I can hear you! Tyler said excitedly within. What is your name?**_

_It's Sarah, Shit! What the hell just happened? Who are you people? _

_**I'm a werewolf. I'm also human. The man that did this to you, did this to me. **_

_I can't be a wolf. I can't. No, no, no, no! _

_**It's going to be okay, calm down. I'll help you through this, my friends and I will help you. **_

_No. Just go away!_ Sarah circled in place frantically. She couldn't accept being turned into a wolf. She ran through the opening of the glass door, tried crossing the street, and almost got hit by Damon, but thanks to Tyler's quick action, who zoomed out to her and tackled her to the ground- she was saved.

Damon, Bonnie, and Stefan jumped out of the car, noticing Tyler, and the wrecked restaurant.

"Tyler!" Bonnie screamed and ran to him. She felt all over his black coat, inspecting him for injuries.

_I'm okay. I'm okay, Bonnie. Elena's inside. She's been stabbed. Matt's pretty banged up. That man turned Sarah into a wolf, and he killed everyone inside. He killed those people, and Bonnie…he's claiming your son as his own._ Tyler communicated. Bonnie heard every word.

Bonnie looked over at the golden wolf, who showed signs of distress.

Tyler began licking her injury. _**Oh, god, why am I doing this? Ewwww!**_

_Thank you,_ Sarah was ever so grateful.

"Stefan, help me. Matt and Elena's been hurt. Damon, watch Natasha, Tyler, and his friend Sarah!" Bonnie blurted out as she ran inside the restaurant.

Damon rushed over to the golden wolf and dropped to his knees.

_No, no, I'm a werewolf, Damon. _The she wolf whimpered.

"_**You're a beautiful werewolf, Sarah. I'll take care of you. It's okay.**_ Tyler's words were soothing to her.

"Sarah," Damon whispered, dreadfully. He swathe his arms around Tyler and Sarah, feeling completely helpless.


End file.
